New New Moon
by Tprinces
Summary: Sequel to TWILIGHT THE REWRITE. Wish Bella would have been less emo? Hoping in vain that there could have been more plot to the franchise? Well hope no further! It's all here in NEW NEW MOON, how it should have been written.
1. Friends

Greetings! For those of you who have been waiting, here you are! For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, let me catch you up. My name is Tprinces – creator of _Twilight the Rewrite_, and now, _New New Moon_. For those of you who haven't read the first one, please do so now. And for those who have, let's get this party started!

Just a heads up – I haven't read _New Moon. Twilight_ was the only one I could force myself to read. But I know enough about it to rewrite it. Besides... this one's going to be incredibly different.

**New New Moon**

**One: Friends**

**O**n the north western plane of the world, tucked away in a small corner of trees and shrub, was a small town by the name of Forks, Washington. It was a quaint little place, a sleepy peacefulness about it. Forks itself was surrounded by forest, and just a small ways off, ocean. The sky was either a calming gray because of the clouds, or a clear, acrylic blue. Currently, it was the latter. Spring was in its final stages, and summer was just around the corner. The heavy snow, which once caked the ground with powdery white, left without so much as a trace behind. The overpowering green of the place made things seem cool and calm. Flowers began to blossom, and were now in full bloom. In town, shop owners had their doors wide open, people who walked along the street casually saying hello to one another. Across from the large hardware store, an elderly Mrs. Ginsberg sat on her porch, drinking iced tea and reading an old novel. Mr. Sholtz, who lived just a few blocks away mowed his lawn, his golden retriever loafing in the grass he just cut. A block away from them, the sheriff's cruiser sat out front of the old diner, Chief Swan himself sitting at the counter and eating a piece of blue berry pie. His favorite. Just beyond the tiny town, the beginnings of the old, run down saw mill poked its smoke stacks from the tops of the trees. In the complete opposite direction, up the hill from Forks, sat the high school. It perched upon a flat plot of hillside, a winding road leading to its parking lot. It was a spread out building, the eggshell white of the walls fading with the passing years. Cars of every shape and size sat idol in the lot, waiting for their drivers to leave the class room. And just beyond the school – high, high above them on the hill – was an old, victorian house. It sat peacefully, hidden mostly by the dense forest that surrounded it. But if one looked carefully and at the right angle, one could see it very clearly. This was exactly what young Bella Swan was doing at that very moment.

She was a slightly tall girl, with a thin stature and hardly a bosom to speak of. Her frizzy, brown hair was usually tied in a pony tail, her matching eyes sitting in a pale, somewhat freckled face. She had her chin propped in her palm, her elbow resting on the table in front of her. Her test – which was done – lay face down beside her elbow. She had nothing better to do then stare off into space. Her eyes moved towards the empty seat beside her. She wished he could have come to school today to keep her company, but the sun was too bright out today. She wouldn't want him to risk it. The soon-to-be eighteen year old was thinking of her boyfriend, a Mr. Edward Cullen.

What could be said about Edward? He was an interesting character, to say the least. Their beginnings had not been all that flawless. He threatened her life at least once, and started out despising her for the simple fact that she attempted to be nice. He seemed to hate her best friend, Jacob Black, and – until meeting Bella – had never driven before in his life. He was also a vampire.

So many things happened in the past year. Things that Bella never thought would happen in her wildest dreams. Her life was constantly in danger, and she came out of the whole thing with a broken shoulder blade, though she was lucky to be alive. But now... these things were all really just fond memories. Well... perhaps not her near death experiences, but most everything else. Because through the turmoil, uncertainty and utter fear that she felt that winter, she and the elusive and slightly emo-ish Edward had fallen in love. Bella looked at their intimacy now and compared it to the hostility of the past, and almost found herself laughing. Back then, she never would have guessed it, but the boy could prove to be the most tender soul. It nearly scared her at first. Now, however, she more then happily fell victim to his kindness. Unfortunately, as the days grew warmer, his appearance at school became scarcer. For obvious reasons, of course. She tapped her paper, her eyes once more reverting to the house on the hill. It was Edward's house. She hadn't noticed it before he started coming to school less and less. Even though they were dating now, she still felt weary about going near it. Namely because of his "family".

Edward lived with six other vampires in that house. His supposed brothers, Jasper and Emmet, Bella didn't have a problem with. Emmet was easy to talk to and often felt like a big brother figure to her as well. Jasper, on the other hand, had warmed up to Bella and treated her like an adored sister. Rosalie, Edward's sister, wasn't all that bad either. She was somewhat stiff, but only for precautionary measures. Esme, Edward's mother, was a kind woman who seemed to be the peace maker of sorts within the family. The only real problem lay with Edward's father, Carlisle, and his other sister, Alice. Strict and commanding, Carlisle Cullen demanded respect with his mere presence. He often looked at Bella with such a piercing eye, she feared to stare back too long. And then, there was Alice...

Alice Cullen... The name still brought chills to her spine. Thin and sly looking, Alice moved with the grace of a prowling snake. The first time they had met, Alice had attempted to seduce and take blood from Bella. She would have succeeded, if Edward hadn't stopped her. This last winter, when she and Edward were just starting to warm up to one another, she left Bella with a daunting warning. She told the story of Lenore, a woman who blindly followed her vampire lover to the grave. Alice explained to her that those who loved vampires were cursed with misery. So far, Bella had her fair share of misfortune, but lately, she had been rather happy. Still, the words haunted her from time to time. The nightmares that she had often consisted of those words. She didn't plan on telling Edward this, as he would just be worried...

"...ella... Bella...! Yo!"

Bella jumped slightly and looked over to Mike, who was waving a hand in front of her face. He laughed at her and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Mike was one of her friends at school, and was actually human. He had a charming way about him, an easy likeness to his face and attitude. "I've been calling your name for the past minute. I was going to ask what you were doing tonight."

"Tonight?" Bella thought about it. It was Friday night. Her friends usually liked to steal her away for things on Fridays and Saturdays. She thought about it for a second. "Hm... Sure, I think I'm free. But I can't stay out too late."

Mike nodded. "Yeah, I know. We were thinking about heading to Port Angeles for a bit. Interested?"

"Sure," said Bella brightly. She gathered her things and headed out of the classroom. The bell had already rung, and her daydreaming cost her a minute of passing period. She headed to math, her books in her arms. It was true that she didn't like to stay out too late. It was her habit these days to come home before Charlie did. Not because she wanted to be home when her father walked through the door, but because that time between sunset and his arrival was perfect for some alone time with a certain vampire boy. She supposed that was an incredibly selfish and wicked way of thinking, but she couldn't help herself. She did enjoy Charlie's company. One of her favorite things to do was watch old movies with him. Just a few days ago, she and her dad sat down to the _Maltese Falcon_. Film noir was always so interesting. Not to mention, the black and white cinematography helped her with her own passion: pictures. She would have never even gotten into photography if it wasn't for Edward's Christmas gift; a brand new, professional camera. By that time, the thing was filled to the brim with pictures.

After the school day was over, she and the others – Mike, Jessica, Tyler and Angela – followed each other down the road toward Port Angeles. It was a small shopping town, mainly set up for tourists. Yet to Bella, the place had a good amount of charm that made it appealing. They caught a movie together and grabbed a quick bite too eat. After a few good hours of laughing, Bella noticed the sun going down. She said her goodbyes and was ready to leave, when Tyler stopped her.

"It's like you're afraid of the dark," he commented lightly. "You never stay out at night any more. How come?"

Bella shrugged. "I just like to get home before it's too late." Jessica chuckled, patting her shoulder.

"What, afraid of the vampires?" she asked.

That caused a laugh from Bella. What an ironic thing to say. She talked her way out of it and said goodbye, heading to her truck. She rode home, happily humming to herself. This had been a pretty good day. She drummed along the steering wheel with her fingers, listening to the radio. It wasn't long until she returned home, parking her truck and hopping out. Charlie's cruiser was not there. She was just ready to head inside, when she paused and turned, looking up to the darkening sky. Things were going so well... She was so happy.

Little did she know what the future held in store for her.

Alrighty! First chapter of _New New Moon_! Let's leave those reviews!

~T.


	2. Birthday Wish

UGH! You guys owe me BIG TIME! DX So, I admitted in the first chapter that I hadn't read _New Moon_. I got good reviews, as usual, when I realized that I probably should read it, just to get a background on it. Granted, this version is going to be incredibly different, but still... Know the source material, you know? All I have to say is this... Eighteen pages in and I was already regretting it -.-... sigh... How can you guys stand to read her ungrateful drivel page after page!? Anyway, i'm on page 70 or something... and... God my brain hurts...

But like I said, it's going to be completely different. Damn... I should get double the reviews to help heal my burning eyes. XD

**Two: A Birthday Wish**

**S**ex in Bella and Edward's relationship was a strange subject. At first, she was worried about his self control. But decades of experience assured her that he could handle himself. And handle himself he did. Ever since before they started dating, Edward had made several trips to her window and spent the night. Only a month and a half ago did things become a bit more... physical. Another interesting factor was Edward's body. He explained to her one night that, once turned, the only fluids that remained in the body were saliva, blood and a small amount of sweat. The saliva allowed vampires to feast easier, and the blood that they drank actually refilled their veins after being emptied, which they did so often on their own accord. The sweat was a safety measure, just in case their body over heated. It seemed that Edward's cold outer shell and hot inner core were precariously balanced. If the scale was tipped, it may cause them discomfort, pain, or a form of illness. The only time these two temperatures switched was during an act of intimacy. Bella would soon come to find this out on her own. To put these observations in perspective of an adolescent, curious and sometimes horny teenaged girl, he was hot (literally), he was hard, and there was no possible way she could get pregnant. These conclusions were crude, but true. It made the whole thing quite stress free. Or at least, less stressful then usual. She was still on edge the first few times they slept together. Not only did it feel as though she was participating in some form of necrophilia, but she felt a strange urge to _preform_. After all, Edward had had a serious lover before her, and before that, had admittedly been a playboy. Bella had only one real boyfriend before this, who was also a virgin when she was. When she was dating Chris, she felt like they were on an even playing field, sexually. Now that she was shacking up with a former womanizer, she felt as though she was being judged. But after a few times, she soon came to find out that she wasn't the one who needed to preform. It wasn't long until she found it very easy to lay back and allow herself to be taken.

That night, Charlie was currently doing his duties, and would be gone for an hour or so after the sun went down. A perfect opportunity for such naughty behavior. After a good while of hard work, Bella let herself fall to the bed, panting with a grin on her face. She closed her eyes, putting a hand to her sweaty forehead. She let out a faint laugh, her body at a bit of a buzz. She supposed she should be used to this, but even after a month and a half of his love making, Edward still had the ability to make her feel exhausted. She turned her head over to him. He hadn't broken a sweat, in contrast to her perspiring body. He propped his head in his hand, his elbow on the pillow. A light sheet was spread over them, Bella consciously pulling the top of it over her flat bosom. She let out a happy giggle and rolled over, pressing herself into his chest. Her wet skin acted as glue, sticking the two together. He was in the process of cooling off. Her thin arms moved about his neck and the two locked into a lustful kiss. Bella couldn't help a faint moan escape her throat. When she pulled away, her face flushed, she let their noses touch together.

"You want to take a break or are you asking for more?" he asked coyly. He ran his fingers beneath the blanket and along her thighs. The sensation made her skin crawl. Some of the best advice her mother ever gave her was this: Nothing but sex isn't love, but it doesn't hurt to have fun with your sweetheart. At the time, it was completely embarrassing to even be hearing about the matter. She was only fourteen, after all. But as she matured, she took the words to heart, and realized just how happy she was during these moments. Edward was tender and firm and playful. He handled her body with great care, though at the same time, ravaged it in a way that she could only dream of. If anything, the nights they spent together made her fall for him even more. After kissing, the two split apart and laid alongside one another. Bella stared at Edward's eyes. Gold again. He always fed before they planned to make love. Usually, anyway... It helped him maintain control if he had fresh blood in his system. There were a couple of nights of spontaneous passion, but he left as soon as they were over, only to come back with bloodstains on his lips. Bella let out a sigh, her hair stuck to the back of her neck.

"Mm... That was good," she said, touching his chest. He took her hand and kissed her palm, smiling against it. They kissed a little longer before Bella let herself fall to Edward's chest. His skin was back to being cold again. It was soothing on her heated skin. Their fingers laced together as they stared at their hands. "My birthday's in two weeks," she said softly.

"Oh?" he replied lazily. Of course, he probably already knew.

"Yup." She cuddled into him, his chin resting on her head. "And I want something from you."

"Pray tell."

She shifted and propped herself over him, looking him squarely in the eye. She looked seriously at him, letting him know that whatever it is she was about to say, that she meant it. She waited until he politely returned her solid gaze. "I want Carlisle to know."

Edward's brow creased and he frowned at her. He didn't like the idea of that. He turned his head away, not saying anything. She clutched his shoulders and kissed his face. "Please, Edward...? You've been putting off telling him long enough. Besides, you can't keep dodging him all the time. You know he's going to find a way to read your mind one of these days. He might do it while you're sleeping or something. I'd rather he not find out like that."

"He's mad enough that I'm spending so much time with you," Edward grunted. "If I tell him now, he'll just be angrier."

"But he's got to find out sooner or later!" Bella protested. "Why not now? Before he finds out on his own?" Edward shifted, avoiding her gaze. Bella touched his cheek. "Please, baby...?"

Edward sighed at her pet name. He propped himself on his elbows, her front resting on his chest. "Well have you told your dad about us?"

Bella looked at him, confused. "What?" she said. "Yes I have... you know that. You were there!"

Edward held up a finger, stopping her. "You told him that I was your date to the New Year's party. Not that we were dating."

"W-well... he's seen you take me out on dates..."

"Does he know that we've even done it before?"

Bella opened her mouth to speak but found herself stopping. She lowered her eyes. He didn't know every detail of their relationship... but that was normal, right? Fathers weren't supposed to know _everything_... just... the basics... She told herself this, but now she felt utterly wretched for keeping their nightly escapades a secret. Though it wasn't the same situation at all, as far as she was concerned. Because at the end of the day, Charlie knew about them and Carlisle didn't. That's all it really came down to.

"I'll tell you what," Edward began. "You tell Charlie that we occasionally... um... make whoopee, I guess?"

Bella snorted in laughter. "Edward, that phrase hasn't been used in decades..."

He frowned at her, clearly embarrassed by his fowl in modern colloquialisms. "Give me a break, eh? I haven't really been social since the sixties. I'm still getting used to this." He shifted again and sighed, smiling gently. "Anyway. You tell Charlie that we're serious, and on your birthday, I'll take you home and I'll tell Carlisle about us. Deal?"

Bella didn't like the idea of telling her father that she and Edward "bumped uglies", as it were, but she assumed that he probably felt the same way about telling Carlisle at all. At least this way it was a fair trade. She leaned in, kissing his cool lips. "Deal." No longer able to stand his chilled body, she let herself fall to her back, staring up at the ceiling. "So the sixties, huh?" She smiled at him, eyes bright with curiosity. "What was that like? Did you go to Woodstock?"

Edward laughed, laying on his side to face her. "Unfortunately, no. It was outside and in the daytime. But I visited San Fransisco for a bit. It was insane. A hell hole sometimes, but really the birth of a whole new generation. Lots of crime during the Summer of Love. Ironic, really."

"Ever do any drugs?" Bella prodded.

Edward shrugged. "I tried acid once. Didn't do a thing to me."

"Really?" Bella thought. "Well I guess that makes sense."

"Yeah... The closest I ever got to a trip was when I looked through a kaleidoscope for the very first time." He paused for a second. "Weed was calming, though. None of the other drugs did anything to me, but the smell of weed calmed me down. Another little secret to controlling myself." He paused. "Which... I guess is a little odd, considering it makes humans hungry."

Bella broke into laughter by that time. She could remember a few times when Mike and a few of her guy friends got stoned. Even Jessica got high every once and a while. Try as she might, Bella couldn't bring herself to imagine Edward as a pot head. It just made her giggle. "All right... what was your favorite song?"

Edward grinned. "That's easy..." He sat up and played air-guitar. "_Dow dow dow-dow-dow dooowww... People try to put us down! Talkin' bout my generation! Just 'cause we get around! Talkin' bout my generation!_" He paused suddenly. "Uh... wait... what was the next one?"

With a grin, Bella grabbed her hair brush and held it to her mouth. "_Things they do look awful cold! __Talkin' bout my generation! I hope I die before I get old!_"

It was Edward's turn to laugh. "Now how is it that you know the words and I don't?"

Bella turned and hung over her bed, shuffling through her back pack. When she came back up, she held her iPod between them. Handing an earphone to him, she put one in and moved through her artists, before landing on "The Who", and selecting the song in question. Edward laughed. "Oh wow... it sounds better then the record..." He looked up to her. "I still haven't gotten used to modern technology." He began to play the air drums. Bella swayed back and forth, the two singing along to the iPod. After that song, she went through and picked out a few other songs to listen to. She had a good amount of old rock on her playlist. They were just finishing up "Stop Children, What's That Sound?" when Edward stopped and looked to the window. Bella paused the music player and listened. She saw lights flash by the window, and heard Charlie's cruiser on the gravely drive way.

"Shit!" Bella swore. She put the iPod away and slipped out of bed, putting on her pajama bottoms and top. "Come on, come on! Get dressed!" She heard the front door close and Charlie announce that he was home. Edward cocked an eyebrow, grinning. She pushed him to his feet and shoved his clothes in his hands. He began to dress slowly.

"Bella? You asleep all ready?"

"Quit that!" she whispered harshly. "Seriously, stop messing around and get dressed...!"

Edward yawned, patting his lips. "Mmm... Don't think I want to..."

She could hear her father's footsteps up the stairs. In a rush, Bella opened the window and began to prod Edward towards it. He chuckled and slipped into his pants and shirt, moving to the window. Charlie knocked on her door. Edward slipped her one last kiss before hopping out of sight. Bella turned just as her door was cracked open. Her father poked his head in, a wrinkly smile on his face.

"Did I wake you up?" he asked kindly.

Relieved that nothing was reveled, Bella smiled brightly. "I wasn't asleep, Dad. Just opening a window. She plopped onto her bed and picked up a book that rested beside one of her bedposts. Charlie nodded.

"Did you have dinner yet?" She shook her head no, and Charlie motioned for her to head downstairs. "I brought pizza home."

Bella had indeed worked up an appetite. She followed him happily and sat down at the table, helping herself to a slice. She watched as her father poured them a couple glasses of Pepsi. Her fingers played with a piece of pepperoni. Her mind went back to what she and Edward were talking about earlier. Perhaps now would be a good time to tell him...? "Um... Dad?"

"Yes?" said Charlie, handing her a soda. Bella looked up to him as her dad stared back, politely. She opened her mouth to speak, but got cold feet at the last minute. She smiled and shook her head.

"Thanks for the pizza." He patted her shoulder and sat down.

"No problem. Got to feed my hungry teenager, after all." She smiled in agreement and began to eat silently. She'd tell him eventually. Besides, she had two weeks to do it. She could afford to gather up some courage before then. As she ate, her mind began to run off with itself. She wondered... what would life be like in the future? Bella didn't see much of a chance of she and Edward breaking up any time soon... Would he graduate with her? Maybe go to the same college? But how long until people noticed that he still looked seventeen, while she grew? Her mind began to jump to several possibilities. But in the end, she decided that she'd be happy with the present, no matter how long or short the future was for the two of them.

Alright, I totally ditched the "108 year old virgin" thing. Why? Because if I go after an older man, I want him to be experienced, you know? And besides, what man would WANT to go a century without getting laid?

~T.


	3. The Dog, the Bat, and the Cat

Dear lord... Do you guys realize that the original Bella doesn't like MUSIC!? Not just certain kinds... like... ALL music... Which is completely contradictory to 1) a conversation about 50's music and how she LIKES it with Edward, and 2) the fact that she likes Edward's piano skills. Despite this, in like... page 112 of _New Moon_, she claims that music annoys her... -.- Who hates ALL music!? Really!

But there is a reason I'm forcing myself into reading it... I need to make sure I can incorporate characters properly, such as Quil and Embry.

**Three: The Dog, the Bat, and the Cat**

**T**hat afternoon, Bella would be going to her school to bring in her waver and check to the orientation meeting for the photography class she'd be taking that summer. Driving to school that day, she felt particularly excited. She hadn't been to Seattle all that much, even though it was practically Forks' neighbor. She wanted to explore the city just as much as she wanted to advance her photography skills. She had been in Forks for almost a year now. She was itching to get back into a big city like Phoenix. She wondered what the malls looked like in Seattle. Her father probably would drop by every once and a while and take her to a Mariners game. The last time she went to a baseball game, she was five and watching the Arizona Diamondbacks. She couldn't quite remember who they were playing or if they won, but she did remember the ice cream that Charlie bought for her. It would be refreshing to go to another game with him. On the subject of Charlie, she still hadn't told him of her and Edward's intimacy. She didn't even know how to bring up the subject, and she had wasted a week trying to figure it out. She now had less then seven days to figure out a way to tell her father that she was... getting some. She figured she'd conveniently leave out the fact that it was on a near nightly basis. That was just begging for trouble. She'd find out some way... eventually. She drove into the school's parking lot, stepping outside. It was another sunny day. Perfect for a Saturday. A few other cars were there as well, but not a considerable amount. She took in the smell of the forest around her and spotted a sign propped up on a white board.

PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMER REGISTRATION

ROOM 820

With a nod, she clutched the manila envelope that held her paperwork and slipped into the school. A few others made their way down the same hallway, a faint chatter floating about the halls. In the pit of her stomach, a small bit of excitement bubbled inside of her. It wasn't overpowering, but it had an affect of giddiness on her. She found herself walking a bit fast and slowed down. There was no need to rush; it wasn't as though she was timed. She came to the required room, noticing that it was one of the Spanish classes. Along the walls and against the windows, pictures of Spanish speaking cities hung around the room. There was an old, dust covered pinata, the once bright colors in the tissue paper now fading away. A small group of people were all ready there. She didn't seem to recognize anyone. A group of three girls sat in the corner, speaking over one another fondly. They all wore knitted hats that flopped over on one side, the blond girl wearing large, celebrity glasses. Across the room, a girl with a ponytail sat on her boyfriend's lap, the two speaking lowly to one another. The boyfriend in question didn't seem like he was there for the photography lessons. In the front of the class, an emo looking boy with thick-rimmed glasses thumbed through a book, his perfectly straight, black hair flipped to the side. Others began to fill in the room, some of them bringing their own cameras, despite having no use for them today. Bella got the feeling that it was a subconscious display of ego or status. Knowing that each apartment came with a roommate, Bella was hoping that she would be able to room with someone she knew, at least vaguely. She tried hard to find a familiar face, but this far was in vain. Until she heard a very friendly voice behind her.

"Boo."

Turning on the spot, she saw the grinning, charming features of Jacob Black standing behind her. She broke out into a surprise laugh and threw him into a hug. Now at a ripe age of sixteen, Jacob had seemed to grow even more from when she first moved to Forks. His hair had gotten longer, and was now past his shoulder blades. The light strands tickled her face as they hugged. She pulled back, taking his large hands. "Oh my God!" she said brightly. "What are you doing here, Jacob?"

Jacob Black had been her best friend for years. From the time that she started coming during the summers to visit her father, she and the native boy had grown some invisible bond between the two. Whenever they were together, they were practically inseparable. They mostly crawled around the mossy forest that encircled La Push, Jacob's home, but on hot days, they would run to the beach and soak themselves like wet dogs. Now that Bella was living in Washington, they had spent more time together then ever. Surprisingly, not much had changed. The only difference now was the fact that Bella knew of Jacob's secret. It seemed that mythic creatures were now populating her life. For just as her boyfriend was a vampire, her best friend revealed himself that winter to be a shifter. In particular, a wolf shifter. Not necessarily a werewolf, because he could change on command, but the product of his tribe's ancestry. For the past half year, Bella felt as though she had been living her life behind a curtain. Now that it was finally lifted, despite the fact that it was often terrifying, she realized that she had been having the most fun of her life.

"This is my own personal vacation," said Jacob proudly. "I need to get away for a bit; Change of scenery and all that. Besides, this way we can still spend the summer together. And yeah, I'm not much of a photographer, but it'll still be interesting at least."

They spoke a bit longer, deciding about what they were going to do once in Seattle and how they hoped they'd be able to room together. Last winter, Jacob confessed to Bella that he had always harbored affection towards her. However, their friendship being as deep as it was, those boundaries were never crossed (for the most part), and there was never much of an awkwardness between them. Jacob was definitely a good friend to have. They talked as long as they could until the film teacher walked into view. They all took a seat and settled down, the room considerably denser then before. The teacher had with him a man who was foreign to the school. No doubt the spokesperson for the company that hosted the event.

"All right! We have a great turn out this year," said the teacher. The name escaped Bella at the moment. "As you all know, I hope, you are all the participants of the 'Picture Perfect Summer' program. Mr. Macabre here is a representative of Kodak, who is making all of this possible..." Bella listened as Macabre explained the rules, regulations and schedule for the photo class. They rented apartments for the summer, which was what the majority of their money would be going to. Everything was already set up for them. The rest of the money went to the class. After he explained everything, the teacher pulled out a role sheet and announced that he'd be calling out the names of people's roommates for the summer. Once their name was called, they were to come up and hand them their paperwork. Bella waited for her name in hopes that Jacob would be listed as her roommate.

"Isabella Swan," the teacher finally called. Flashing Jacob a smile, she scurried over to the teacher, eagerly waiting to see who would be her live in partner. "All right. You're going to be rooming with Miss Simpson over there." He gestured to the girl in the corner whom Bella had seen earlier fondling her boyfriend. Bella's heart dropped.

"Um... sir? Do you think I can room with my friend Jacob?" she gestured to the boy behind her. The teacher shook his head.

"I'm sorry. No co-ed rooms."

Bella wanted to argue further, but realized it would either get her nowhere, or get her kicked out. She slumped beside Jacob, who was equally put off. "Bummer," he remarked. As it turned out, Jacob's roommate was Bella's roommate's boy toy. Strange world. Once everything had been settled, Jacob insisted that they go grab a bite to eat. The sun was starting to set and they were both pretty hungry. Bella was about to agree when someone interrupted her thoughts. Turning, she saw her new roommate, staring at her.

"Hi," she said kindly.

"Hello," said Bella with a smile. "I guess you're my new roommate, huh?"

"Yeah..." she began. "About that. Um... I was wondering if I could change places with your friend here? It's just... Daniel and I have been talking about this all year and we were so planning on rooming together..." A smile came to Jacob's face.

"Say no more," he said, holding up a hand. "No problem. I'd be happy to switch with you."

She perked brightly. "Really? Oh thanks so much!"

Bella frowned. "Won't we get in trouble if you two switch?" she asked curiously.

"Nah," said Jacob. "They won't find out. We're all in the same building anyway, right? Plus, they don't watch us or anything. That's why we signed the waver."

Bella was a little uneasy about it still, but at the same time, she was happy a solution was so easily achieved. She nodded in agreement. "All right," she said, hands in her pockets. "Yeah, that sounds good." With an excited smile, the girl turned and hurried back to her boyfriend to deliver the news. Bella turned to Jacob. "I guess we're roommates after all, huh?"

"I guess so," said Jacob with a smile. "Now come on. I'm starving." So, Bella followed Jacob out of the parking lot, and the two headed into Port Angeles. Saturday was always a great night to have an outing, especially on a spring night in such as then. They settled on a little burger joint on the corner and sat themselves in the corner booth. It was one of those authentic style restaurants, one that seemed to have been there for decades. Black and white pictures were plastered to the walls, a wooden fan slowly circling above them. It reminded Bella of the diner that she and Charlie often went to in Forks.. They sat across from each other, staring at the menu. She wondered what she was going to get.

"I guess a regular burger is fine," she finally decided. "And fries. What about you, Jacob?"

"A double patty cheese burger," he began, "with a side of stake and wedge cut fries. I think I'm also going to get a chocolate shake and some onion rings... Oh and some chocolate cake for dessert."

"Holy Hell, Jacob," Bella remarked, staring at him. "Glutton much?"

"Relax," he said with a smile. "A lot of it goes home with me. I like to take food home whenever I go out, remember?"

Ah yes. Bella had forgotten. Whenever they caught a bite to eat, Jacob usually had boxes to go with him. She figured that they went to Billy, or was snacked on for later. Though she was never certain why. She cocked her head to the side, her chin in her hand. "How come?" she asked.

"Well," Jacob began. He lowered his voice. "Whenever I change, it takes a lot of energy out of me. So I always like to stock up on food... just in case, you know? Meat especially."

"And chocolate?" Bella asked.

A wicked smile came to Jacob's lips. "For my sweet tooth."

After ordering, they once more broke into a conversation of light things. How happy they were that school was almost over, and how much they were looking forward to the photo class. They also talked about subjects in school, if they were going to get a job next year, and so on and so fourth. "Are you going to the prom?" Jacob asked. "Or did that all ready happen?"

Bella smiled. "It already happened." She tapped on the table, going silent. Jacob knew what she was going to say next. It was something along the lines of "Edward took me." Bella wanted to change the subject, but found it hard to come up with a valid talking point. Luckily, it was at that point that the food arrived. They refrained from talking in order to eat.

To say Jacob and Edward didn't like each other was a bit of an understatement. The two boys despised one another with a fiery passion. Though some might look at the situation and say that Bella was the reason the two fought, the girl knew not to flatter herself. The two had hated each other since they first met, as Bella was told. The Quileute, Jacob's tribe, and the Cullens, Edward's family, have never been on easy terms. It all began when Carlisle Cullen was taken as a Quileute slave almost three hundred years ago. After escaping and becoming a vampire, Carlisle returned to Forks and made a pact of truce between them. Even so, the rivers of resentment between both parties still ran deep. And poor Bella was stuck in the middle.

She was thankful when Jacob steered the conversation away from the subject matter and started on something else. He had been known to harp on about how they couldn't be trusted, how Bella was in danger with them, and so on and so forth. Bella had always valued her friend's opinion, and she had indeed been put in danger because of her association with the vampire family. But during those dangerous times, Edward not only saved her life, he did so on multiple occasions. She at least owed him gratitude for that.

Speak of the devil.

Just as Bella was in the middle of finishing off her fries, her phone began to vibrate. Picking it up, she recognized the number. It was the pay phone that Edward used if he ever wanted to get in touch with her. She glanced at Jacob, who gave no protest. Flipping it open, she answered. "Hello...?" Edward asked where she was. "I'm in Port Angeles... with Jacob." She glanced at her friend as Edward asked what she was doing. "We're just having some dinner... Oh." She looked to the window. "Oh it is dark... Oh I'm sorry... I lost track of time...." Edward had probably been waiting at her house since sunset. "Um... well... you can if you want, but... Edward? Hello?" He had hung up. With a sigh, she closed her phone and put it away. "Edward's coming over..."

Jacob frowned. "What? He doesn't trust me?" he said, bristling.

"It's not that..." She paused. "Ok, maybe that's a lie."

"So, what, that gives him the right to run your life?" Jacob snapped.

"He doesn't run my life," Bella defended. "We like to meet right after sunset before Dad gets home. He can't come to school a lot lately because of the sun. It's one of the few times we get to see each other without my dad being able to hear us."

Jacob grunted, going silent. He ate quietly for the rest of the time. When he finally did put things in boxes, the door to the restaurant swung open, Edward walking inside. In a huff, Jacob swept past him, sulking back to his truck. Bella stood and smiled weakly at her. Clearly in a bad mood, Edward spun around on his heal. "Let's go," he snapped. Bella frowned.

"Don't be mad," she said, catching up with him. She folded her arms. "He's my friend. I'm allowed to hang out with him if I want to. And I shouldn't have to ask your permission."

"I never said that," he reminded her, stiffly. Heading to Bella's car, he sat in the passenger's seat. Bella hated that there was tension whenever these two were near each other. She put her hands on her hips.

"Edward, you need to get over yourself," she chided. "One day you're just going to have to live with the fact that he's my friend." He said nothing, but instead stared through her windshield. She turned her eyes to Jacob. Their night had been ruined, she supposed. Walking up to his truck, she smiled apologetically. "I'll see you later," she said.

Jacob sighed and looked to her. "Yeah. Later." He gave her one last smile before throwing his truck in reverse and driving away. Bella went to her own truck and sat in it. Edward still wasn't speaking. She didn't start the engine. Frowning, she tapped the back of his head. He glanced at her and she smiled.

"Don't be a sour puss," she said lightly. "Come on, you should be used to him by now."

Edward stared at her lazily. "I don't want to," he said in a flat tone.

With a roll of her eyes, she started the truck and drove back to Forks. "Childish..." she said jokingly. He didn't seem to think that was funny. She broke into a laugh. "Oh come on, Edward! You have to admit that you act like a little kid sometimes." He paused for a moment before a smile reluctantly made its way to his face.

"I guess I am," he admitted. His eyes narrowed playfully. "But you're reckless."

"Oh pshaw," she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I live on the edge! I laugh in the face of danger! Ha ha ha!"

"Light's red."

"Oh crap!" She slammed on the breaks just before she crossed into the intersection. Lucky she did, or else they would have been either caught by the traffic camera, or hit by oncoming traffic. Her heart slowed to its regular pace as Edward laughed greatly at her expense. Though she couldn't help but chuckle along, she hit him with her backpack. "Shut up!" she giggled. He knocked her pack out of the way and leaned forward, capturing her into a kiss. They sat there for a moment, before Edward pulled away. He grinned, his fangs showing.

"Light's green."

At least they're not calling each other names anymore XD so! Leave those reviews!!

~T.


	4. The Ugly Truth

Alright! To clear a few things up from the last one...

1 – Yes, we saw Edward's gift in the last one. In fact... THERE WAS AN ENTIRE CHAPTER ON IT! Ugh...

2 – Yes, James bit her before he was killed. But I explained that a human can't become a vampire unless they OFFER their blood. I laid all of this out in the... tenth chapter, I think.

Anywho... so now that that's out of the way, let's get this bad boy rolling, shall we?

**Four: The Ugly Truth**

"_We're going to move to Jacksonville this summer_," Renée told her over the phone. "_We were hoping you'd come and visit us... But that's OK. So are you excited? Did my present come in the mail yet?_"

Bella smiled as she and her mother talked on her bed. It was Edward's hunting night, so he wouldn't be coming over today. She used this opportunity to catch up with her Mom and schoolwork. Admittedly, Bella hadn't been paying too much attention to her homework of late. Something she wasn't proud of, but she did her best to keep her head above water. She wasn't failing anything yet, so she had to be doing something right. As she spoke to her mother, she worked on her math homework, double-checking to make sure she got things correct. "I don't think it has yet," she confessed. "Either that or Dad is hiding it from me." She switched shoulders. Her birthday was only three days away, meaning t hat she would have to tell Charlie about her and Edward fast, or her time would be up. She didn't want that to happen. "And yeah, I'm excited," she continued. "I haven't been to Seattle all that much, so it'll be an adventure. Jacob's coming with me too, actually. So it'll be just like old times." She paused, tapping her paper with her pencil. "Hey... Mom?" She shifted. "You know that... I'm not a... a virgin, right?"

"_Oh hell, Bella_," came her mother's reply. "_I knew the day you lost it. Mothers have that kind of radar. Why?_"

"Well..." Bella lay down on her bed. "I'm... dating a guy right now. And he wants Dad to know we're serious. Um... I just don't know how to tell him..."

"_Just hike up your big girl panties and do it!_" came her mother's confident reply. That elicited a laugh from Bella. No matter how old she got, Renée would always be Renée. Forward thinking and saying what she wanted to.

"OK Mom," said Bella with a smile. "So how are things with Phil...?" They talked a little longer, laughing and swapping stories about their significant others. As it turned out, Phil had quit his job as a minor league player and started coaching instead. He had been given a job offer in Florida, which was the reason they were moving. Though Bella didn't tell h er this, she was glad she wouldn't have to suffer through the humidity and bugs during the summer. They conversed just a bit longer, when a knock came to the door. She looked up to see Charlie smiling at her.

"Dinner," he said brightly. Saying goodbye to Renée, she hung up the phone and hurried to catch up with her father. It was lasagne tonight. Bella could smell the sauce from the stairs. Sitting down, she poured herself a glass of milk and started to eat. She could hear her mother's advice floating around in her head. She glanced at her father. If she was going to do this, she did in fact need to "hike up her big girl panties", as it were. Unless she just got out there and said it, it would never be said. But how...? Should she ease into the conversation? Perhaps try and start out lightly? Clearing he throat, she figured she'd start the conversation with a casual subject.

"So... how was your day?" she began.

"Pretty good," said Charlie. He took a bite of lasagne. "There wasn't much going on today. Steve caught a couple of taggers near the railroad, but their parents bailed them out. I imagine they got grounded or something like that. How about your day?"

Bella shrugged, trying to choose her words carefully. "OK, I guess..." She was starting to get cold feet. Maybe it would be best if Charlie didn't know. Perhaps he never would. Then again, perhaps ra inbows and butterflies would fly out of her ass and sing "The Lollipop Guild." She mentally gave herself a kick and plucked up her courage. "Things... have been going OK. Edward and I..."

Charlie began alert. "What? Did he do something?"

"No, no," said Bella, holding up her hand. "No... it's... we're actually doing very well."

"Oh..." Charlie went back to eating. "Well that's good."

"Yeah." Bella stared at her plate. She needed to do it now, or it'd never get done. She took a breath and finally spat it out. "We've been having sex."

Not quite as subtle as she would have liked.

Charlie's fork dropped to the plate and he began to cough. He choked on his food and took a swig of milk, trying to calm himself. Bella clutched her hands in her lap, waiting for his blow up. He turned to her, a bit of color having left his face. "You've... been...?" Bella nodded, wordlessly. There was a silence as he stared at her. He shook out his head and looked up. "When? And... and where?"

Bella bit her lip. Might as well come clean. "After I get home from school..." she admitted softly. He blinked at her and put his forehead in his hand. "He leaves before you get home..."

"Holy shit..." he sw ore. He furrowed his thick brow and closed his eyes, as though trying to overcome a migraine. He looked up to her, frowning. "Are you safe?" he asked. "Does he make you do anything you don't want?"

"No!" said Bella quickly. "He's... really very gentle. He would never force me into anything, and he knows that. In... in fact, most times we don't get into it... he just... comes by and we talk for a few hours." She felt her face grow hot. Why was she going into such detail? Perhaps it was to cushion her father's anger?

He ran his fingers through his hair and stood up. Pacing, Charlie was collecting his obviously muddled thoughts. Bella kept her eyes on her plate, unable to look him in the face. "For how long?" he asked.

"A month and a half," she admitted, her head hung.

"Jesus Christ, Bella..." He sat down and glared at her. "Just when where you planning on telling me? Hm?"

"I'm sorry!" she said pleadingly. "It's just... I didn't know how to! I know you're worried about me, but I feel safe every time! If I don't feel like doing anything, or if I'm unsure, he doesn't push it. He just let's me decide..." He leaned against his chair, tapping the table.

"I see..." He sulked, staring at his plate as well. A few uncomfortable minutes passed by. "Are you two safe?" he repeated.

"I won't get pregnant or sick," Bella swore. She couldn't exactly tell him that he had no semen.

"And you feel completely comfortable?"

"I wouldn't do it if I wasn't."

Another tense silence followed the statement. Charlie ran his hand against his stubbly chin. He then pointed to her. "No babies."

"You got it," said Bella with a nod. He sighed, slowly coming to the realization that his daughter was a grown-up now.

"All right... But I want to talk to him about this."

"After my birthday?" said Bella earnestly. "Please? He's going to take me to his house so that I can... um... you know... be introduced and stuff..." She shifted. "Dr. Cullen still doesn't quite know yet..."

Charlie pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. But I want to talk to him the minute you turn eighteen." He stared at his food. Bella got the impression that he wasn't hungry anymore. Bella moved her hand forward and gripped his. He looked at her.

"Daddy," she said kindly. She smiled weakly. "I love him..." He stared at her a bit longer and then gave a small nod. He put his hand over hers and smiled reluctantly.

"Then... I guess I can deal with it...."

Bella jumped to her feet, relief washing over her. She rushed her father and hugged him around the shoulders. His usual chuckle came up from his chest as he embraced his daughter. They hugged a bit more before they broke apart. "But if I catch him sneaking into your room at one in the morning, he's a dead man. Understood? And the next time he comes over, invite him to stay or something."

"Yeah. Thank you, Daddy!" Kissing his cheek, she sat back down and continued to eat, now in a considerably better mood.

Now all that was left was telling Carlisle.

Yes, a short chapter. Sorry I didn't update earlier, but I've been a bit busy... starting college in a month!

~T.


	5. Eighteen Candles

Hey everyone... wow, reviews have been quite scarce. At least compared to _Twilight the Rewrite_. I'm going to see if I can't put this into a community... hopefully a popular one.

**Five: Eighteen Candles**

**T**he twenty-four hours of Isabella Swan's birthday were separated into three completely different worlds. The morning hours were first. When she woke up, she found a little present by her bedside. Her father had bought her a freshly bound copy of the original Dracula by Bram Stoker. A somewhat ironic choice, and Bella felt giddy knowing the inside joke. Her birthday was on a Saturday this year, so she didn't have to go t o school. She lay in bed, reading the first three chapters, all the while chiding herself for not ever really picking it up in the first place. After about five, she set the novel down and got dressed. It was then that she noticed Renee's present – a photo album. Apparently, she knew that Bella was going into photography. She wondered what her friends had in store. They had all said that they were going to steal her away for a day of fun in Port Angeles. It was sunny, so Edward couldn't go. Despite Jessica's lack of comment, Bella was sure she was happy about it. She headed downstairs where her father was – as always – making breakfast. She leaned up and kissed his stubbly cheekbone. "Morning Daddy," she said, in somewhat of a chipper mood.

"Happy birthday, sweet heart," came her father's reply. Charlie told her to sit down, a plate of food sitting at her place at the table. Biscuits and gravy. She laughed. It was her favorite. After thanking Charlie, she ate, he sitting beside her. Charlie knew that Bella would be going over to Edward's house tonight, so there would probably be no time for cake and a birthday dinner. Once Bella had finished her breakfast, Charlie left the table, and returned with a particularly large cup cake. It was layered with white frosting and had multicolored sprinkles on top and at the very center, a spiraled white and pink candle sat. Charlie took out his lighter and lit the wick. He pushed it towards her. "Make a wish," he said with his usual, honest smile. Bella stared at the flame. She knew what she wanted. She closed her eyes and laid her hands in her lap.

_I wish Carlisle will accept us..._

With that, she blew out the candle, a trail of smoke twirling its way up from the burnt out string. After splitting the cupcake, Bella's ride arrived, and she and Charlie parted ways, making way for the second world of her birthday. Tyler's van was filled to the brim with smiling, laughing teenagers. One in particular caught her eye. "Jacob!" The bronze skinned teen flashed a white smile from the back of the van. She stumbled her way over the seats and plopped herself beside her friend. Jessica whirled around from the middle seats, Mike's arm around her waist.

"He tracked us down," she said, smiling brightly.

"You don't think I'd miss your birthday bash, now do you?" he joked.

"Of course not." Bella looked up as Mike gave her a card. Tearing it open, she realized they had all signed it. She also realized that she had at least two hundred dollars in her hands. "Oh... Oh guys, I couldn't..."

"Don't worry about it," came Tyler's voice. "You're treating us all day."

"Besides," said Jessica, "I never paid you back for saving my life, did I?"

Bella laughed as she looked at the card. How could she forget? That winter, the group of them had gone one day to ice skate on a little pond just off the grid of Forks. Unfortunately for them, Bella was being watched at the time by three blood thirsty, nomadic vampires. It seemed that they knew where they were headed, and staked out the place. While skating, Jessica was pulled in by one of them – James – and held under water. If it wasn't for Bella jumping in and fighting off the creature, Jessica might be dead.

"What about Mike?" she asked, pocketing the money. "He helped." While Bella's noble acts had indeed driven away the vampire, they were still nowhere near getting to the surface alive. If Mike hadn't dived in to help, the two of them would be on the casualty list, not just the one. Jessica laughed, a bit of color coming to her cheeks.

"Oh... well..." She glanced at Mike, who gave her a toothy grin. "I already rewarded him..."

"Come here..." Mike tugged her by the arm and landed her in his chest, the two starting to make out against the side of the van. Bella rolled her eyes and lay back against her seat. Tyler pumped out a few rock tunes, as well as some hip-hop thrown into the mix. They wound up singing along with "Pokerface", accept for Angela, who wasn't familiar with the song. They arrived at Port Angeles, and began to haunt the shops. First, they stopped off for a little light lunch, and then made their way through stores and shops. At one point, Bella found herself in a mystic store, one that she had always been interested about, but never thought of going in. The walls were lined with wind chimes and books on chakra, while the shelves were stacked with all kinds of mysterious books. The entire place smelled of strange incense, a couple of small pond statues bubbling over with dry ice fog. There were fairy trinkets and dragon carvings, tarot cards and crystal balls. The woman behind the counter looked pleasant enough. She was an older woman, with silken scarves around her head and large bangles hanging from her wrists. She cast her dull eyes towards the group and laced her bony fingers together.

"Can I help you dears?" she said, leaning against the counter. She turned her gaze towards Jessica, who seemed cynical about the place at the very least. "Do we have a sceptic in our midst?"

The blonde laughed a bit, trying not to seem condescending and failing miserably. "I guess you could say that," she said, picking up a thin book on astrology. She set it back down. "I don't really believe in witchcraft or anything."

"My dear child," the old woman cooed, her little smile still in tact. "Why do you fear what you can't understand?"

Jessica gave her an uncertain look. "Excuse me?" She turned her head to the side and noted a sign by the register. "You read palms, huh?"

"Yes dear, I do," said the woman. Jessica strode up to the counter and placed ten dollars on the top of it. She then put the back of her hand on the hardwood. The woman gave a chuckle and let her crinkly fingers work their way over her palm.

"Well then?" Jessica prodded. "Do you see a tall, dark stranger in my future?" The woman trailed her finger down a line in Jessica's palm. She let out a breath and clicked her tongue.

"No..." she began slowly. She smiled up at her customer. "I'm afraid not. I see... a fairly ordinary life, with certain exceptions. A few problems here and there, an interesting job as a retailer, but nothing more." She closed Jessica's fingers. "I'm sorry. Some people are just destined to be... unimpressive."

Bella could see a flit of irritation fly over her eyes. In order to save face, Jessica let out a laugh and folded her arms across her chest. "Really. And there's absolutely no way that you could have just made it all up right then?" The woman didn't seem offended in the slightest. Instead, she leaned against the counter and put the tips of her fingers together.

"I also saw your first kiss," she said smoothly. "With Frankie. In the second grade." Bella watched as the color fell from Jessica's face. "Beneath the oak tree... ?" Angela snickered and Jessica whipped her head towards her friend. Mike cocked an eyebrow, but it seemed she was too embarrassed to look at him. Tyler gave a loud laugh.

"I guess that teaches one certain little sceptic," he teased.

"Well I for one believe in the supernatural," said Jacob, passing a nod towards the woman. She smiled thankfully. Bella laughed lightly.

"Wonder why," she said under her breath. But it was just loud enough for Jessica to snap her eyes towards her.

"Why don't you get your hand read?" she suggested pointedly. Bella blinked.

"Huh...? Oh, I..." She tried to laugh it off. "No, no, I couldn't..."

"Come on..." her friends coaxed her. "It'll be fun. It's your birthday! Just do it, go on... What could it hurt?" Finally, she agreed and spent ten dollars of her birthday money on a palm reading.

She laid out her hand, a bit shy at first. The woman's touch was cold and somewhat leathery. She let her worn eyes look through the lines. For once, her smile fell. Her old lips parted and she looked up to Bella with a look of fear and sympathy. She gaped, as though she had just seen the face of death itself. Bella could feel the air squeeze out of the room. Her heart sped up. Suddenly, Alice's prediction came ringing through her ears. The woman put a hand over her mouth and shook her head. Bella felt Jacob's hands come over her shoulders. "Oh..." the woman said finally. "Oh darling..." She cupped Bella's face. "You need to get away from him." A shock of electricity hit her heart.

"What...?" she said, breathless. Her attention was completely captivated by this woman. She leaned in, her hands moving back down to Bella's.

"You know who I mean," she said lowly. "If you don't... oh my dear, sweet girl..." She squeezed her hands. "You will..." She shook her head. "My dearest... I can't..."

"What?" said Bella, pleadingly. "What is it? What do you see?" The woman gave her a earnest stare.

"If you don't," she began again, "then you will experience Hell. You will go there and back... and then you will die."

A sharp, icy chill ran down Bella's spine. She jerked her hand away, barely remembering how to breathe. This was the second time she was told that her future was cursed. She wobbled on her legs, the affirmation of her doom making her mind draw a blank. She was sure that she would have fallen over, if Jacob hadn't pulled her into a warm embrace. Despite this, her entire body felt frozen over. She could faintly here the disgruntled sounds of complaints from her friends, scolding the old woman for frightening her. She just walked out, focusing on Jacob's grasp.

"_...you will suffer to the point of no longer wanting to live...." "...you will experience hell..." "...your worst nightmares will be realized..." "...and then you will die..."_

Alice's and the woman's voices interchanged, running through her head like ghostly sounds. Her mouth became dry, and her fear came to the point of causing her to hyperventilate. She was lead to a café where the group all went inside to get some drinks. Jessica wouldn't stop raving about what an idiotic old bat the woman was, and how they shouldn't have wasted twenty dollars. By the time Bella was back in reality, she had a sugar filled soda in her hands. It was open and Jacob was trying to get her to drink it. She blinked several times, her brain starting to re-boot. "What...?"

"Relax." He glanced at the others, who were busy talking about where they wanted to go next. He scooted his chair closer to hers. "After that... woman gave you her prediction, you kind of went into shock. Sugar helps with that." He gestured to the rest of the group. "They might not take it seriously, but I do..." His voice lowered. "She was talking about Edward, wasn't she?" Bella snapped her head to him. He gave her a frown. "Well come on, who else could it be?" She looked at her soda can, feeling anger replace her fear. She stood and walked out of the café. The last thing she nee ded was another argument about how she was doomed forever just because she was in a relationship with a vampire. She was only two feet from the door when she felt Jacob grab her arm. She took a breath and turned to him. "Bella..."

"Hey!" They turned to the others. Mike waved his hand. "Come on! Let's keep moving. We've wasted time as it is!" They filed out of the coffee shop and started down the street. Bella sighed, finally relaxing after the prediction. She saw that Jacob was going to say something, but she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Don't," she said. "Look... I'm a big girl, ok? It hasn't been easy being with Edward. And I know it probably never will be... But..." She let her eyes trail down the zipper of his jacket and she looked back up, smiling at him. "I love him. And really, that's all there is to it." She patted his arm and then kissed his cheek, leading him behind the group of others.

The rest of the day passed somewhat like in a dream. For a few hours, Bella forgot her fears and troubles, as well as the daunting predictions of her demise. For the rest of the daylight hours, Bella focused on her friends. They went to the small arcade and goofed around, after which they all caught a movie, and then had an early birthday dinner, where Bella was brought a scoop of ice cream with a candle on top. They then drove her to her house, a few self bought birthday presents. After saying goodbye to everyone, she slipped out of the van and headed inside. It was warm out this night, a few fireflies dancing about her home. Slipping inside, she kissed her father hello and put her things away. She was just getting ready to head back downstairs when a knock came to her window. With a smile, she opened it and spared Edward a kiss. The warnings rang through her mind like distant church bells, but she paid them no mind. At least not at the moment. She agreed to meet him out front and made her way down the stairs, quickly announcing that Edward was there.

Thus began the third, final, and scariest world of her birthday.

She got outside, Edward sitting on the hood of her truck. The vampire slipped down and straightened himself out, a little nervous. Bella patted his shoulders, and the two got into her truck. She began to drive towards the trees, her hands a bit sweaty on the wheel. In the silence of the cab, all she could here were those damned warnings. God how she wished she never stepped foot in that store. She drummed her fingers and then cleared her throat. "How about some music?" She turned on the radio and flipped through a few stations. Unfortunately, all that was broadcasting was hip-hop, rap and hard rock. Not much in the oldies department. Edward didn't seem to favor anything that came out after 1979, so she turned it off. She decided to speak to fill the silence instead. Anything to get rid of the daunting words that flooded her brain. She cleared her throat. "So... it's a... nice night, isn't it?"

"Bella." She felt a cold hand on her shoulder and she glanced at him. "Please don't be so nervous. This is what you said you wanted, right?" She nodded, her eyes staying on the road. She couldn't bring herself to tell him why she was really on edge. What would he do if he knew that she had been told twice that being with him would end badly? She tightened her grip and turned up an old, dirt road.

"I'm not," she said, releasing her kept up breath. "I want to do this, Edward." She nodded, as though that decided things. "I want to. Really..." Her heart skipped a beat as her truck bounced a bit on the road. "Now... let's... talk about something else until we get there. Tell me some more stories."

"Of what?"

"Of you. Um... what was it like in the seventies? Same as the sixties...?"

He began to explain that they were actually quite different, but he hadn't been allowed to be social past '69. However, he was able to watch human culture from afar, observing things as they changed, grew, and stayed the same. It seemed that Edward had an affinity with human culture, despite he himself being inhuman. Bella began to ponder the real reason he wanted to go to school in the first place. Perhaps he fancied humans as pets? Or creatures at the zoo? In any case, he was fond of them. Bella could see that quite clearly. Before she had time to think of anything else, however, she realized that they had arrived. Her heart beating in her ears, the two got out and went up to the door. They slipped inside.

"Hello?" Edward called. Bella caught sight of something moving across the hall. It was a small, proportional woman, with a motherly way about her. She had light brown hair that she usually kept in a bun, but today she let run to her shoulders. She and Edward both had the same gaunt features, despite the fact that hers were softer and more pleasant. Esme turned to look at the two of them and smiled kindly.

"Hello, dear. Oh..." She spotted Bella. "This is a pleasant surprise."

"Where's father?" Edward asked. "I have something I want to talk to him about."

"He's in the living room," said Esme. "With Alice." The name brought fear riveting down Bella's body. She gripped Edward's wrist tightly.

"Momma?" She turned and watched as smaller figure came after her. A boy, with gray skin and no shoes, came trotting in after Esme. Once black, all his pigments had been drained along with his mortality. His baggy clothes hung off his tiny body, and his black hair was wild and unpredictable. Jasper turned to the other two and brightened. "Miss Bella!" He scurried to her and took her hand. "Hi!" he said. "What are you doin' here?"

"We came by to talk to Carlisle," she began. "It's my birthday, too."

"Birthday?" Jasper repeated.

"Oh my," said Esme with a sweet smile. "Oh the last time I celebrated a birthday was ages ago..."

They began to walk down the hall, Jasper hopping and skipping around Bella. He was incredibly different from the silent, scowling boy that Bella first met. But after a small moment between the two last winter, and constant visits on her behalf, Jasper now followed her around like an attentive puppy. It was just cute enough to pull Bella away from her current fears. They walked down the hallway, Jasper explaining that his former master's daughter usually got ponies for her birthday. Or jewellery or more slaves. When they got to the living room, Carlisle was indeed with Alice. They were sitting in the middle of the room, a chessboard between them. They were locked in quite a battle of wits. Carlisle was a tall, proud man, who had pale blond hair that nearly faded into his stark white skin. He wore light clothes against his body, his eyes the only dark thing about him. Across from him, sat Alice. Her agile body was currently sitting erect, her short cropped hair stiff against the frame of her face. She wore a blood red, mid evil dress that rolled along the bony features=2 0of her figure. Her face was angular and pointed, her lips thin and slightly parted. Carlisle was the first to look up.

"Edward," he said, standing. He turned to look at Bella. "Something wrong?" Usually, if Bella came to their house, it meant bad news.

"No," said Edward. "Do you mind if I – " He stopped when he heard a roar of laughter, and the pounding sounds of feet running down the stairs. Emmett stumbled into the living room, laughing his ass off. He was a stout young man, with a thick set of arms and neck. His black eyes were playful, his broad smile showing off his fangs. He held above his head of short brown hair, a hairbrush.

"Give it back!" came a voice. "Emmett! I'm serious!" Rosalie came quickly after him. Voluptuous and curvy, Rosalie and Emmett were perhaps the only ones who weren't complete sticks. She had long, blond hair that ended at her back, her sunken eyes usually caring a sense of seriousness or caution. She was a head shorter than Emmett, the two of them making an attractive couple. Rosalie frowned as Emmett handed her brush back to her. "Why would you do something that stupid anyway?" She stopped when Emmett kissed her cheek.

"Oh relax," he said with a smile. "It's not like I robbed you."

They both stopped when Carlisle cleared his throat rather loudly. They turned to see what w as happening. Emmett felt his eyebrows shift to his hairline. "Oh. Are we interrupting?" He glanced at Bella. "Hey, the snack's back."

"Did something happen?" said Rosalie immediately. "More nomads? The Volturi?"

"No," said Edward firmly, before she could come up with any more theories. He looked to Carlisle. "Can we talk to you, please?" Carlisle shrugged and motioned them to sit. He laced his fingers in his lap and looked at them expectantly. Bella did her best to avoid Alice's gaze, but it was hardly an easy task. "Father," Edward began. "I..." He looked at Bella and took her hand. He looked back to Carlisle. "Please don't be angry, but... Bella and I are in love." She darted her eyes up to the head vampire. She could slowly see a look of anger and shock flood Carlisle's face. "I know it's irresponsible and I know it's dangerous... But she and I have been very careful. Bella still hasn't told anyone, and I haven't been to school in a while because of the sun and – " He stopped when Carlisle's hand went up.

"You're in love," he repeated. He turned his noble face into a scowl that made Bella shrink in her seat. He stood and paced, rubbing his hand against his face. Not a single person in the room dare speak. He rounded to Edward. "Do you realize what risks you're taking? For yourself and your family? Edward nodded. "And yet you don't care."

"That's not true!" Edward protested weakly. "I just – "

"You just what?" Carlisle snapped. "You thought that if I gave you a little bit of freedom, that would be excuse enough for you to endanger everyone in this clan?"

"No, I – !"

"I should have never let you go back to that world," the father continued. "You don't belong there and you never will again! So why do you insist on returning to a place you don't fit?!"

"You don't know where I fit!" Edward barked back. He got to his feet as well, Bella watched as the situation spun completely out of control.

"Yes I do!" he thundered. "You fit here, away from humans, and away from that girl!"

"That girl saved my life, or have you forgotten?!" Edward shot back. "I would have been long gone if it wasn't for her!"

"You would have never been in that situation if she hadn't gotten herself in trouble!"

"You don't know anything!"

"I know enough!"

"No you don't! You don't know what we've been through! She was the one who wanted to tell you, because she wanted you to accept us!"

"Well I don't!" The words hit Bella like a to n of bricks. She trembled where she sat, staring at the two. She wanted to tell them to stop fighting, but she knew there would be no use. "I don't want you going behind my back ever again, do you understand?"

"Oh yeah," Edward said cynically. "Like I'm really just with her to get at you! I happen to be with her because I love her! And she loves me!"

Carlisle's face turned to an unrelenting sneer. "Is that right?" he said smoothly. "Or is she just a replacement for Annabell?"

Just like before in the mystic shop, the air in the room was sucked out. Bella was very glad that she was sitting down, because if she had been standing, she might have fallen over. She trembled, remembering the story of Annabell Susan McCleary. She was a human Edward knew in the thirties. But more then that... she was Edward's first love. Edward had insisted that he was long over her, but there was always something in the back of her mind that told her otherwise. Sometimes... the way he stared off into the distance... the way he went silent in thought... She would wonder what he was thinking about. Was he imagining her? When he looked at Bella, did he see her face instead...?

"FUCK YOU!"

Edward's scream raged through the entire house. Bella was too frightened to move, glued to the couch cushions. She glanced at the others. They were all staring in disbelief at the pair of males in the center of the room. Even Emmett was too shocked to speak. She then looked at Carlisle's features. He was baring his teeth, absolutely seething at his adoptive son. In a quick motion, he slapped Edward hard across his cheek. So hard, in fact, that Edward fell to the ground. Without a hint of remorse, Carlisle spun to Rosalie. "Take her home," he spat.

"I'll do it," said Esme softly. She helped Bella to her feet. The girl tried to speak, but her voice was nonexistent. She kept her eyes on Edward's body, wanting nothing more then to run to him. However, her legs barely moved to begin with as she was taken from the house. As Esme carried her, the night flashed by her in blurs. She clung to Esme, praying that this all was a bad dream. They landed at her front porch. Esme set her down to her feet. "Let me in, dear." Almost automatically, Bella invited her in. They walked into the living room, where Charlie was watching TV. He stood, immediately sensing that something was wrong. "Her truck broke down. I brought her back, and we'll return the truck to her tomorrow. Excuse me, Mr. Swan." She took Bella to her room and set her on the bed, sitting beside her. Bella began to shake uncontrollably. Her eyes burned and tears fell. Trembling, she clung to Esme and began to cry. The whole scene had been so tense, so unrelenting, that now that she was out, part of her was just so relieved that the situation was over. She quickly turned up to Esme and took her delicate hands.

"P-please," she pleaded. "I-it's not his f-fault... I was the o-one... I didn't mean... I-I..."

"Shh..." Bella felt herself be pushed to the bed, Esme covering her body with blankets. Bella continued to babble incoherently, apologizing again and again. Esme's thin fingers touched her forehead. "Sleep," she said. Before she knew it, Bella had drifted off into a dreamless slumber...

When she woke that morning, she thought she had a terrible dream. She woke and rubbed her forehead, checking the time. It was almost noon, and according to her calendar, it was Sunday. She tried to focus. What happened the day before? She realized that she had fallen asleep in her clothes. Did Mike slip her something without her knowing it? She recalled the events of the day before. First birthday breakfast with her father, and then a day at Port Angeles... and the mystic store... She shivered and pushed the thought aside. And then... the Cullen house...

That part... it couldn't have been real. It had to be some horrible dream. She got out and rushed downstairs, where her father was making breakfast. "Dad?" Charlie looked at her.

"Morning Bells..." He walked up to her and asked if she was all right.

"Y-yeah..." she said. "Why?"

"Well... Mrs. Cullen said your truck broke down. But they fixed it and got it back here. It's just outside."

Her heart clenched. Without a word, she grabbed her keys and ran out of the house. Indeed, the truck was there, waiting for her. Without a second thought, she jumped in and started the engine. Pulling out of the driveway, she headed up the winding, dirt road before landing at the house. The old, Victorian Cullen home. Hopping out, she ran to the door and wrenched it open. She called out, but no one answered. She ran in, panicking. "Hello!?" she hollered. "Dr. Cullen!? Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Mrs. Cullen... Edward!?" Nothing. Not so much as a floorboard creak. Fear welled inside of her and she breathed harder. She went to all the rooms, the study, the living room, the bedroom, the den... nothing. Not a single soul resided there. She gripped her hands close to her chest. Where would they be...?

The mill.

Turning, she rushed back to her truck and drove frantically to the old sawmill. She took she and Edward's own little short cut and got there in two-thirds the time it usually took. The old saw mill... it was Edward's favorite spot. He used to work there as a human, and would often come there to pass the time or think. Perhaps he was still there? She prayed to any and all gods that he was as she ran into the place, panting. She tore through the old doors; the smell of must and mildew rudely greeting her. "EDWARD!" she screamed. Nothing. Not=2 0a breath, or a sound, or a sign that he was there. That's when she saw it.

Sitting in the middle of the floor was a small object. A round, glass ball sat on a base made to look like a snowy forest. And inside the globe sat a model of the old sawmill in its hay day. It was the Christmas present that she had gotten Edward that winter. She was drawn to it, like a moth to the flame. Slowly, her feet took her to the object, and she fell to her knees. With trembling hands she took it and wound the snow globe at the bottom. Setting it down, she let it play. It was the same, metallic tune that she had heard so many months ago. She stared at her faint reflection in the glass, a bit of snow disturbed from her holding it. She cupped it in her hands and brought it to her breast, cradling it. The tune rocked her like a babe in a cradle, and she swayed gently.

It was then that she knew that Edward was gone.

Long chapter, huh? I figured this would be a more logical way of explaining why he suddenly left. Anyway, get those reviews in!

~T.


	6. Saying Goodbye

Ok, I'm sorry for not having posted in so long D8 College stuffs... And yes, this is going to be a relatively short chapter, but hey, I gave you guys a pretty long one before. Besides, this one is just going to set up for the rest of the story. The next chapter is going to be short too, I think...

**Six: Saying Goodbye**

**T**he news of the Cullens' departure was met with mixed feelings. While the hospital was sad to hear that one of their better private practice doctors were gone, the school was glad to see their creepiest student go for good, despite the fact that Edward hadn't been to class in days on account of the sun. Her friends were kind enough not to rub it in... sort of. It was very difficult for Jessica to hide her enthusiasm that Bella would no longer be seeing Edward. She told her once or twice that it was best that he did leave. And that now she'd be single when she went up to Seattle. As if to bribe her further, she told her constantly just how incredibly hot the city boys were. Particularly the ones who played guitar and read poetry. But Bella had no interest in other boys. At least, not at the moment. It had only been one week after Edward and the others left. It was also two weeks to her photography summer class. She lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Edward's snow globe was resting on her bedside table. She had awoken that Saturday morning, thinking that a note would be on her window, or that he would be found, asleep in her bathtub. Her heart low and her body tired, she sat up and looked around the room. So many memories... Late night visits and being there for support. She could recall when Chris broke her heart. She cried like a madwoman. And the shoulder that she was sobbing on was none other then Edward's. Why had she not cried now? She felt equally as stupid. She had cried the night Esme took her home, but not after. She almost began to hate herself for her lack of feeling. She could shed tears for the one who cheated on her, but not for the one who wouldn't even think of such a thing? Shaking her head, she got up and dressed herself. Her eyes lingered on the snow globe. She grabbed it and put it in her nap sack. She didn't want to spend the rest of the day moping in bed. She had slept in, so Charlie was no where to be found. She was glad for that; she would rather be alone this morning.

Getting into her truck, she drove slowly. She didn't know where she was going. She let her truck take her wherever it willed. Her mind drifted from thought to thought, the soft, late spring breeze brushing against her frizzy hair. She could remember teaching him to drive. He had almost killed the both of them. A tiny smile came to her face as she turned onto a road. She also remembered their time spent at the mill... when he told her the story of Annabell. Her hand tightened on the wheel. Why did Carlisle have to bring her up? Though Bella would never admit it, to herself or otherwise, a part of her had always been jealous of Annabell. It was a very small part, as the rest of her felt nothing but sadness at her tale. But when Carlisle suggested that she was nothing but a replacement... That struck her deeply. Perhaps that was why she couldn't cry. Was she just a replacement for Annabell? Edward had reacted so harshly when Carlisle said that. Was that because his true intentions were revealed? Bella felt a sickening taste come to her mouth as she turned onto another road.

Was it all just a lie...?

She surprised herself when her truck found First Beach. Bella sat there for quite some time, her hands on the wheel idly. Finally, she turned off the truck and opened the door, her nap sack on her shoulder blade. The ocean called to her, softly purring against the break of the surf. Off in the distance, she spotted James Island. For once, Bella thought not of Edward, but of Jacob. She could remember the day that he took her there. A warmth spread over her as she walked onto the fine sand. The warm sun shone down on her exposed arms and face. Yes... Jacob. Her dearest friend. They had known each other for years, and care so deeply for one another. Bella sat just a ways away from the dark mud and set the globe beside her, staring at the island. She could remember being inside of it for the first time. Jacob was the one who showed it to her. It was all so grand... How could she have forgotten it so easily? How exciting it was to be sneaking around in secret passage ways, or how eagerly she listened to his stories. Her mind trailed back to when they were just children, wandering around in the green foliage of the forest. They played hide and seek. Whenever they did, she hid, while he sought her out. She recalled then that whenever he ran around in search of her, he always howled, as though he were a wolf hunting prey. In retrospect, no action was more fitting for him. A smile curled around her lips and she propped her chin in between her knee caps. She sat there for God only knows how long, staring off into space. She was bringing up old memories. Maybe it was to distract her from Edward. Maybe it was because she was at First Beach. But whatever the reason, the old thoughts made her happy.

"Thought I'd find you here.."

Bella blinked and looked over her shoulder. Jacob, the boy who she was just thinking of, stood right behind her, smiling kindly. He sat beside her, his hands on his ankles. "Hey." Bella turned back to the ocean and nodded.

"Hey," she replied. There was a silence between them. For some reason, now that he was actually there, her mind veered back to the memories of Edward. She sighed, her feet sliding back up towards her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced at Jacob, who was looking at her in earnest. As if to ask if she was ok. She turned back to the sea, her eyes glossed over. Without thinking, she leaned into him. He had always had a calming, relaxing effect on her. Her constipated emotions began to move again, her body becoming less tense. "You know what sucks? I mean... the worst part of it all?" she began. He didn't respond. Instead, he rubbed her arm, holding her close. She let her eyes land on the snow globe and she pulled it up to her. She turned the crank beneath it and let the song once more float out of the thing. The metallic sounds twirled about from the object, little bits of false snow falling about the model mill. She looked up to Jacob, unaware that tears were finally crowding her eyes.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye..." Her lower lip trembled and she set the globe down. "I didn't even get to... get t o wish him well or... or ask that he writes or something... I don't even know wh-where they're going... I just..." She felt two strong arms take her and pull her into a warm hold. She gripped Jacob's shirt and began to cry. She cried for little Jasper, as they had just become friends. She cried for Rosalie, who was slowly starting to accept her. She cried for Emmett, who always treated her like a sister. She cried for Esme, and how she would miss her gentle voice. She even cried for Alice and Carlisle, despite their feelings towards her. But most of all, she cried for Edward.

She let her tears fall for quite some time. At first, it felt good to let go like this, but soon, a headache began to take over. She slipped into silence, clinging to Jacob and calming herself. It wasn't until sunset that Jacob suggested they get home. Bella agreed and stood, still pressed up against him. As they left First Beach, Bella looked back, her eyes on the snow globe that she left in the sand.

I know, I know, it's short! I told you it would be. I'll try to pad out the next one so it's not so small. Leave those reviews! I want an average of 8 per chapter (that's about the same as TTR).

~T.


	7. The Long and Winding Road

Ok, to answer a few questions:

1) Jasper was turned around the age of 14, but because he was brought up as a slave, he has the mentality of a child.

2) Edward's dark gift is explained in detail in the chapter of TTR called "Fog in the Moonlight". It's the third to last chapter, I think...

3) You're not supposed to understand Alice. She's supposed to be somewhat of an enigma. So you decide for yourself if she hates Bella or if she's just toying with her.

4) Well... oh, wait, you said not to answer this one.

PS – Happy Woodstock Weekend!

**Seven: The Long and Winding Road**

**A**fter a few tough weeks, the last bell of the school year finally rang. The students seemed ready to take on a summer break of doing whatever they damn well pleased. Bella herself found that day to be a little on the bright side. Things hadn't been smooth since Edward's departure, and she did miss him dearly. Many evenings, she would stare at her window in bed, waiting for him to reappear, as if by magic. But of course, he never did. It was only her fatigue that got her to sleep those nights. The days, on the other hand, had gotten easier as they passed. She had end of the year exams to study for, and her friends to take her mind off things. Even her parents did a good job of distracting her. However, the true distraction was of that summer's most anticipated photo class, and spending yet another summer with Jacob. Looking=2 0at it through her new eyes, Bella felt relief to know that she would not be in Forks for those months. Perhaps by the time she returned, she would have forgotten all about Edward Cullen and his odd family. The day she was to leave, she double checked her things, making sure that she wouldn't leave anything behind. That morning, she headed downstairs to see Charlie already up and making breakfast, a bagged lunch sitting on the table for her. She laughed a bit, picking it up.

"A sack lunch? Really?"

"Well it's a bit of a drive to Seattle," he began, "and I don't want you eating nothing but fast food. It'll rot your brain." He stopped when she slipped a kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you," she said honestly. "I appreciate it, Daddy."

"I know..." There was a pause before Charlie put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you going to be ok?" Bella knew what he was referring to. After Edward left, Bella had been a bit gloomy around the house. She tried not to be, as her father did worry on occasion, but in the end, it didn't go by without being noticed. She smiled and patted his hands.

"I'm fine," she said with a nod. "Really, I'm ok. If anything, getting out of Forks for a bit will help me." After a play punch to Charlie's arm, she sat down and ate her breakfast. After a quiet meal, she called Jacob and told him that she was all ready to go. Since her old truck wouldn't really survive the trip unscathed, they would be using Jacob's ride. That winter, during their adventure with three stray vampires, Jacob's truck had gone through hell and back, but the boy seemed to be a genius with welding and mechanics. It now looked just as good as new. After loading her suitcase in the back with his, they got into the black cab of the truck and drove off, Bella waving a final goodbye to her father. She sighed and laid against the seat, staring out the window. She and Jacob spoke of light things, wondering what the summer would be like together. In all honesty, Bella was surprised when she discovered that Jacob would be coming along as well, but as it turned out, he was really just looking for something new to try. She supposed she understood that. Instead of taking the freeway, which would be packed on a summer afternoon at that particular hour, Jacob took the scenic route, driving along the coast. Their windows were rolled down, Bella's bushy pony tail flickering behind her head. She stared at the ocean through the front windshield, watching as the sun shimmered against the surface. Her eyes gazed off into the distance. The water went on to the horizon, where the sky and the sea met in a perfect, horizontal line. The smell of salt was heavy in the air, the sound of the surf just faintly audible over the roar of the truck.

"You went silent." Blinking, Bella turned to her friend. "Something on your mind?"

"No," she said, propping her head in her hand. "Just zoning out..." She began to think about Jacob. It had been nearly four weeks since the Cullens' departure. And yet, Jacob hadn't said a word about it. Bella thought that he would have taken the opportunity of Edward's absence to harp on and on about how he was right. About how he wasn't good for her after all, and about how his bias was justified. And yet, Jacob hadn't mentioned it one way or the other. For that, Bella was truly thankful. She found herself smiling warmly at her driver. He glanced at her, looking a bit confused at her stare.

"What?" he asked. Bella shook her head.

"You're a good friend," she stated softly. He chuckled.

"Why? Because I'm not making you pay for gas?"

Bella just sat there, keeping her smile.. "No," she said honestly. "You just are... that's all." She turned her eyes away and looked at her side mirror. She noticed something in the reflection. They were a bit far off, but from the looks of things, they were a handful of bikers, heading their way. She watched them curiously as they grew closer. It wasn't long before the howl of motorbikes began to trump the truck's engine. Before she knew it, the bikers were right on their heals. Bella expected them to pass, but they didn't. In fact, two of them drove up to either side of the truck. Bella noticed that they all wore rounded helmets with tinted visors that covered their eyes and noses, along with leather jackets, some with tassels hanging from their arms. The bikes in question were Harley-Davidsons. The thunder of their machines was unmistakable. Jacob frowned as they surrounded the truck. He stuck his arm out the window and waved them over, trying to signal that they should go around. But they didn't seem to take the advice. The two that were riding on either side of the truck drove out in front of it and began to swerve back and forth.

"What the hell?" Jacob honked in frustration, but the bikers seemed to just laugh. They started to mess with Jacob purposefully, driving too close and revving their engines loudly. "What do you think you're doing!?" Jacob shouted out of the window. Bella felt her heart start to speed up. She got a very strong feeling that something bad was about to happen. Suddenly –

"Jacob, look out!"

In a sudden movement, the bikers rode out of the way of Jacob's truck, getting out of his path just in time to reveal that the road made a sharp turn. Jacob slammed on the breaks, and the truck skidded against the pavement and dirt. It didn't stop fully until the nose of the truck, and the front tires, where sticking off the side of a cliff. One which had a drop of seventy feet or more. Bella clung to her seat, breathing heavy and quick. "Oh God oh God oh God..." She fearfully stared at the sea below them as she felt the truck start to tilt forward. As they teetered precariously between life and death, Jacob began to undo his belt buckle.

"Unstrap yourself, hurry!" he ordered.

With sweaty hands, Bella fumbled with her seat belt, but her memory seemed to fail her. Just before she was ready to release herself from her seatbelt, she felt the weight shift, and the truck slowly begin to move backwards. It wasn't long before all four tires were on the ground again, safe from falling to their dooms. Looking in the mirror, she saw that the bikers had actually grouped together and pulled the truck back to solid ground. A relief swept over her. She was about to turn to Jacob and say something, when she saw him get out, slamming his door hard on the way there. She watched him approach the bikers, fuming. She quickly got out and followed.

"What the fuck is your problem!?" Jacob demanded. "We could have been killed! Are you guys completely insane?!"

"Easy there, laddie." Bella blinked as a thick, Irish accent came from beneath a helmet. The one who spoke took off his head gear, revealing a thick mane of ginger hair, the red bangs falling near his large, yellow green eyes. He had a sly simile and a rounded nose, faded freckles dotting his cheeks. "It's not like we'd let cha die now, would we lads?" A disassociated grunt came from the others. The Irishman tucked his helmet beneath his arm and held out a gloved hand to shake with Jacob. The boy looked at him as though he were crazy.

"Name's Mac," he introduced. "Mac Gibbous."

"I don't care what your name is," Jacob snapped. "What I want to know is why you nearly ran us off the road!"

Mac laughed, putting a hand on his hip. "Awe, we were just havin' a bit o' fun."

"Some fun!" Jacob continued. "What if you weren't able to pull us back up, huh?!"

At that, Mac laughed even louder. "Oh come on, mate, we can lift up a measly little truck." Jacob blinked.

"Wait a minute..." He paused and took a sniff in the air. He then pulled back, staring at them incredulously. "You... you're all..."

"Lycans?" Mac finished. "Werewolves? Mutts? Personally, I like a pack of wild animals, but that's just me." He grinned, revealing a smile of slightly dingy teeth. Probably from drinking. "I woulda thought a shifter would be able to tell a lil' sooner. Why... with the way you smell, we're practically cousins, ain't we?" Jacob flared and turned sharply, heading back to the truck.

"Come on, Bella!" he barked.

"Oy!" Mac called as she scrambled back into the truck. "Where are you two love birds headed?" Again, Jacob seemed ruffled.

"Not that it's any of your business," he sniffed, "but Seattle..."

"Small world!" said Mac, leaning against Bella's door. "Me and the mates are headed that way too..."

"Don't care." Jacob threw the truck into reverse and backed out onto the road. "And if you get within ten feet of my truck again, I'll run you over." Slamming on the gas, Jacob skidded on the road before driving off. Bella didn't speak the rest of the way there. Instead, she spent the rest of her time trying to process what just happened. Had she just met what she thought she just met? Wolves? A pack? She turned to Jacob, who glared out the windshield, grumbling to himself. She suddenly had so many questions to ask. How were they different from Jacob? Were they really related in some way, or was that "Mac's" certain brand of humor? Bella stared at the mirror, but she didn't spot the wolf bikers a second time.

This would prove to be an interesting summer.

New character(s) alert! I'm going to have fun with this one X3 Leave those reviews! You know I love 'em!

~T.


	8. Coffee and Rain

Alrighty then! I'm averaging about 8.7 reviews per chapter! That's what I like to see! What's say we make it ten? ;3

Oh, and I'm glad Mac got a good reception. He's going to be a fun guy from now on.

**Eight: Coffee and Rain**

**T**hey finally drove into Seattle around the late afternoon. Bella had already eaten her sack lunch that her father had so generously prepared for her, so she wasn't quite hungry. Jacob opted for a hot dog at a convenience store they passed along the way. He didn't say much since the appearance of Mac and the other wolves. It took her a while, but Bella had finally gotten him to smile again. It seemed that the sudden appearance of the man had hurt his pride. She had no idea how, but Jacob reminded her much of a defeated puppy. But things were back to normal by the time they drove within the city limits. Bella rolled down her window and stuck her head out a bit. She had been in the city a few times before, but not often, and not for long periods of time. The buildings stretched on for miles, the smell of exhaust and olive oil filling the air. Seattle was like a sea of concrete and office buildings. On the sidewalks, all kinds of people walked against the urban background. Businessmen, dog walkers, women hailing cabs, bicyclers, a couple of street vendors, and a coffee shop on almost every single corner. Bella had to shake her head in order to make sure she wasn't imagining how many Starbucks', Coffee Beans and Tea Leaves, Seattle's Best Coffees, and so many other local brand name stores were littered along the roads. It was mind boggling to think that one city could drink so much coffee. It got to the point to where she could almost smel l the roasted beans and frothed lattes. A few of the homeless were to be seen here and there, some huddled up in thick blankets, others with puffed out, old coats. It made Bella sad to see so many people on the street. She continued looking out her window. She smiled brightly when the Space Needle peered down at her, towering over the sky-high buildings and office facilities. She propped her head against the car door, giving it a big, toothy grin. It was such an odd piece of architecture. One that always fascinated her. Once when she was young, her father took her to a Mariner's game. She dreamt that night that she was in the saucer that sat atop the Needle, and flew it away from the city to the moon. Consequently, the moon in her dream was not made of cheese, but soap.

Jacob drove until he got to a small apartment building that sat just a few blocks away from the Needle. A few others had already arrived, some Bella didn't even recognize. They all got inside and got their keys at the front desk. Jacob then promptly switched keys with the boy he was trading places with, and they all made their way up the stairs. Bella had received a key marked 293. She and Jacob walked up to the second floor and moved inside. It was a tiny living space, al most like a dorm more then an apartment. A dinky television set sat in the corner of the room by the window, a tiny couch watching it opposite the box. A kitchenette sat to their left, and two doors faced one another. Different rooms, probably. Bella opened the one to the right and set her stuff on the bed. The faded blue walls made her feel calm and excited at the same time. She pulled back the violet drapes and opened her window. The song of the city floated in, welcoming her to her temporary home for the summer. She took in a breath and sighed, releasing it with a smile. Off in the distance, just beyond the great Needle, sat a mountain, faded against the sky. The sun was setting at this point. And though the sky was pure blue that day, the buildings were all highlighted with one orange wall, the windows gleaming in the sunlight. Jacob popped his head in.

"Come on," he said. He showed her a note. "There's going to be a dinner across the street. And the tab's on them." Bella took the note and read it. It was an invitation and welcoming note from their teachers for that summer. It told them about dinner that night at seven thirty, at the _Fleur de Rouge_, which would be paid for complements of the photography program.

"Sound's fancy," she remarked. "I didn't bring any clothes that would be appropriate..." She opened her suitcase and looked about it. All she really carried was shirts and jeans. "Well... wait, here we go." She pulled out a little blue summer dress and turned to Jacob, pinning it to her front. "What do you think...?"

He smiled kindly. "I think that'll work just fine. I'm going to go see if I have anything in my suitcase..." Turning, he left her to her own room. Closing the door, she found a long mirror pressed to the outside of her closet door. She changed and looked at her reflection. Her heart began to sink. She hadn't worn this dress since Edward had taken her out for Valentine's day. Granted, she was wearing a long, thick coat and a scarf to cover it, but she still wore it. In all honesty, she d idn't even know why she had packed it. She remembered that they had Italian that night. Her face was red from the cold and her hair was an absolute mess. And yet... Edward told her that she was beautiful that night... She took a breath and pushed the thoughts aside. She couldn't dwell on him. Why was it that she could get over Chris so quickly, but nearly a month after Edward, she was still thinking of him? Perhaps it was because her relationship with Chris had been so easy...? Yes, that was it. It had been simple. Sure, there was heartbreak. But he cheated on her, therefore, the relationship that they shared and ended was a simple, black and white one. There were no real complications. Everything was quite cut and dry. He had messed up. It was easy to point the finger at him.

But things were not easy with Edward. It was complicated. She wanted to hate Carlisle so much for ruining everything; for overreacting. After everything he had done for her, however, she found that she just couldn't. That terrible, frightening winter still haunted her dreams. If Carlisle and the others had not been there, she might have been dead. Granted, if they weren't there to begin with, she wouldn't even have faced the problem. Or perhaps she20would have? Would the nomads have come to her doorstep without wanting to taunt the Cullens? And would they have done away with her quickly rather then wanting to toy with her? Perhaps they would have made a quick meal out of her and just have been done with it? Or what's worse – perhaps they could have captured her and taken her along as a meal ticket of sorts. Bella imagined herself in a large paper bag like the one Charlie had packed her sandwich in. Or perhaps they would lay her down, stick straws into her neck and limbs, and just suck her dry? That aside, whenever she was with Edward, or any of the Cullens for that matter, she felt... special, in some odd way. Even when she was cornered by Alice with those daunting warnings, she still felt a bit unique. As though she was keeping a treasure hidden away from the rest of the world. A guardian of sorts. It was selfish, and treading the line of unhealthy, but she couldn't help the way she felt. She missed being close to a family of monsters....

A knock came to her door. She sat up as Jacob opened it. He had found a simple white shirt and gray blazer. His hair was in a ponytail, his nicer pair of jeans on. "Are we going or not?"/ span

"Oh..." Bella nodded, standing up. "I'll meet you downstairs." She waited until he was gone to look at herself in the mirror. Her hair was just as terrible as usual. Fiddling around in her backpack, which she also brought with her, she found a hair clip, a dog paw on the top. She stopped and stared at it. Her eyes then went to the door that Jacob just left through.

She felt suddenly idiotic; nearly ashamed of herself and her thoughts. Here she was, complaining that she was no longer in the presence of someone supernatural... when she realized that what she was pining for was rooming with her. Not only that, but Jacob was her closest friend. He had been for a very long time. And she knew how he felt about the Cullens. She gripped the barrette tightly. As her friend, he knew that she missed them. But how hard was it for him to watch her stare off in thoughts of them, or of Edward? Not only that... but he had confessed just earlier th at year. No matter how good of friends they were, she couldn't ignore the pain of watching someone you liked go out with someone you hated. She turned to herself in the mirror again and nodded to herself.

No more thinking of the Cullens. No more thinking of Edward. The fact of the matter was that they were never coming back, as far as she knew. So there was no use doting on old memories. "From now on... it's looking forward, not backward."

She put the clip in her hair and patted it. Turning, she rushed out of the apartment building and joined the others as they headed towards the restaurant. It was an adorable little place, with flowers in the window, and mahogany bricks that framed the tinted windows of the place. The door was of red oak, the name of the restaurant embroidered elegantly on the glass in the middle of it. Inside, the feeling was of a cool, laid back kind. Potted plants sat on the sides, while a few dark fans spun slowly above them. Faint music floated about the restaurant, the smell of fancy food wafting towards them. Bella began to grow hungry just smelling it all. A few tables had been pushed together to make one long tabletop. Jacob and Bella sat together, opposite the emo boy from orientation and a girl with streaks in her hair of neon colors. After everyone was seated, one of the teachers went up to their table side and greeted them all. Having told them how pleased he was that they would be taking his class, he instructed them to order whatever they wanted, and that he expected them to be in class at ten that next morning. They were given the address for the class, and then they were wished good luck. Everyone then grabbed a menu and looked over the choices.

"God it's so expensive!" Bella said, her eyes skimming over the choices and their price tags.

"Hey, you're not paying for it," said Jacob with a shrug. "I'm getting the New York Sirloin.8 0 Bella directed her gaze to the item.

"That's thirty three dollars!" she said.

"And again," Jacob insisted with a grin, "we're not paying for it."

"Still... I think I'll get a hamburger... at least that's under twenty..."

Soon, the table developed mini conversations along the seating arrangement. Bella had struck up a talk with the girl who sat opposite her. Her named turned out to be Courtney, and s he was an interesting person to talk to. She was a high school graduate who wasn't sure what college to go to yet. So she just figured that she'd pursue photography until one opened its doors for her. She had originally been a surreal artist, and painted constantly, but as of late, she had started going in a different direction. She also nearly died at around twelve. While fishing with her grandfather, she accidentally fell into the river. If it hadn't been for a low branch that rested near the water's surface, she'd be dead. She decided then and there that she'd use her life for art. She'd been given a second chance to live, so she might as well make something beautiful while she had it. Bella found her logic refreshing and uplifting. She made a note to talk with Courtney again. The food arrived, and everything was as wonderful as it smelled. Her hamburger was like nothing that the diner came up with, but half way in, she almost found the tastes too high class for her. But she ate it all without complaint. By the time it was over, she was quite stuffed and quite sleepy. They walked outside, only to find that it was now raining cats and dogs along the streets. They scurried across the street, Jacob holding his jacket over their heads. Despite the effort, they managed to get soaking wet.

Dripping like stray animals, they scrambled to their room and slipped inside, laughing so much they nearly tumbled over. Jacob shook out his head like a wet dog (his pony tail had long since come out) and then squeegeed out his ear with a finger. Bella wrung out a bit of her dress and took off her shoes, tossing them into her room.

"That was fun!" she said with a giggle. She grabbed a towel from her bathroom and came back out, proceeding to dry herself off. "What did you think of Courtney? She's so interesting! Oh, and how funny was it when that blond kid... Eran or something? Well, remember when he got ketchup on his shirt? Ha! Oh he was so mad! I bet he's a rich kid who would rather be in Prague right now or something." She began to towel dry her hair. "This is going to be a great summer! I can't wait to start classes! Where do you think we'll start shooting first? Do you think we'll be able to get our pictures published? What do you – ?"

She stopped the moment two warm arms wrapped around her body from behind.

Bella stood there, her hair resting in strings against her face. Jacob hugged her, and Bella could almost see his smile. He rubbed her arms. "It's nice to hear you happy again," he said in a low voice. Her heart sped up at that, her breath catching in her throat. Slowly, her hand raised and she gently touched his wrist. They hugged for a moment longer before Jacob let his grip fall. He turned and announced that he'd be taking a shower, closing his door as he went.

Bella turned and stared at the doorframe, the towel still in her hands. Her mind, which had been so full of milling thoughts, was at the moment, turned off. It was nice, not having to think. She put on a warm smile and turned, heading into the bedroom. "Goodnight," she called, before clos ing her own door. She fell to her bed and beamed at the ceiling. "It's nice to _be_ happy again."

With that, she fell asleep.

A little bit of a filler, but shit don't go down until after they run into Mac a second time... which he doesn't for a couple of chapters.... but we are payed a visit by Sam for a mysterious reason. X3 Leave those reviews!

~T.


	9. Life Goes On

Hey everyone. Ok, so one last somewhat boring chapter before we get on to the good stuff.

**Nine: Life Goes On**

**F**or the next three weeks, Bella found herself in a strange, dream like state. The routine was a new one, but one that she got used to very quickly. Wake up around nine, have breakfast and joke around with Jacob, go to class at ten, leave at one, have lunch and then explore the city. And that was just the weekdays. On the weekends, anything goes. The freedom of being her own woman was empowering to Bella. There was no one telling her what to do, where to go, or to watch her back. She was not under constant moderation, and she was free to do whatever whenever she pleased. Every once in a while, Jacob would warn her half heartedly about class the next morning, but it was hardly overly protective, like she had been treated for the past year. And even before that, her mother needed to constantly know where she was and who she was with. Charlie was only slightly better. Now, she felt an uplifting liberation that she planned to enjoy to its fullest. And for the first time since Edward's departure, she was happy. She and Jacob were practically always together, Bella feeling like she did all those years ago. Back with their times together were so innocent. Bella also had gotten to know Courtney better as well. As it turns out, Courtney was older then she looked; a twenty one year old college student to be precise. She also happened to be a city dweller, and showed the two Forks natives the ins and outs of Seattle. She snuck them into night clubs and dance floors, even bought them a couple of drinks now and then. Normally, Bella wouldn't dare drink alcohol, but given the circumstances of being away from her father, and being in the constant presence of a werewolf who would stop her from doing anything too stupid, Bella saw no reason to do just that. Many of the drinks were nasty and seared her throat, but a buzz was fun to get. Though she kept a watch on herself not to get drunk. It worked well, for the most part. She only got sick about once or twice.

As for the class itself, Bella had no idea just how intricate photography was. When she first picked up a camera, Bella thought that it was nothing more then getting a good angle and pushing a button. As it turns out, there were so many rules and tips in order to get better pictures. The quality of the pictures she took were getting better and better with every class. They traveled all around the city, taking pictures from high and low spots, of the ocean and of the buildings. When they weren't out snapping photos, they were in the classroom, editing and developing them. Some of the pictures were done using old fashioned cameras and red rooms. Others were developed digitally. Bella learned more about computers that summer then she had in her whole three years at high school. Soon, she had a colorful array of photos in her arsenal. Everything from black and white, to dramatic angle, to super impose, to landscape to expressionist.

One day, they were in class, editing a few photographs. This go around, they worked on capturing the spirit of the city. Bella, having seen so many coffee houses the first day she was there, cleverly took a picture of a coffee cup in the foreground, and a coffee shop blurred out in the background. She also did it while laying down on the opposite sidewalk. It was an angle that her teacher thought was the most interesting. She had tried a few other things, like a bird's eye view or a collage of different coffee house products, but this one seemed to be the best for what she wanted. She leaned against her chair, staring at her computer screen. She had since scanned it in and now was drawing a blank on how to edit it. She nibbled at her lip and looked to Jacob's screen.

His picture was a snapshot of a skater in mid air, getting read to grind on the railing of a small stairway. He was already editing his photo. After copying the image of the skater, he made several layers, fading each one more then the last. It looked like the skater was leaving a trail of plasma. Jacob was also changing the colors around to make it look a little more eye catching.

"Red or yellow?" he asked Bella, tapping the table beside his keyboard. "I can't decide..."

Bella stared at the skater and hummed. "Purple," she said finally. He laughed at that and began to alter the skater so that his skin, hair, clothes and shades were all different tones of purple. Jacob turned to her own picture. "Still can't decide?" he asked. Bella shook her head.

"I could make it black and white with the logo kept green," she mused. "But that's boring."

"Why don't you impose faded images of people in the city? Or the buildings?"

"Too confusing."

They sighed in unison, both stumped as to what she wanted to do. Bella looked to Courtney, who had taken a picture of some of some graffiti on a brick wall. She was in the middle of making the graffiti marks neon, and the wall around it black.

"Why don't you paste on a different logo on the cup?" she suggested. "Like, you know, a Nazi symbol?"

Bella frowned. "Why would I want to paste a Nazi symbol on my cup?"

"That's making a statement!" she replied brightly. "That big cooperations are nothing more then a ploy to control us!"

She snorted. In getting to know Courtney, Bella could at least conclude one thing: Courtney was a bit on the eccentric side. She always talked about how big businesses wanted nothing more then your money and your loyalty for life. Most people would find her constant ramblings annoying or irritating, but Bella found it hard to not pay attention to her. If anything, she was entertaining. Bella folded her arms and shook her head. "I don't think I'll do that..." She frowned.

"I know!" said Courtney, clapping her hands. "Why don't you put the word 'blood' on the cup, and change the sign on the coffee shop to make it seem like it's a shop for vampires?"

Bella felt her heart drop. There was a silence between both she and Jacob, who had stopped clicking his picture. For three weeks, Bella had forced herself not to think of him. And yet, with Courtney's innocent comment, it was all brought back to her. She locked her eyes on her keyboard, the comment taking her by such a surprise that she didn't know how to respond. Sensing this awkward moment, Courtney frowned. "What?" she asked. "Don't like the idea?"

"Um..." Bella turned to her new friend and gave a smile. "No, it's a good idea. But it's more your thing then mine..." She trailed off and turned back around to her computer. She glanced at Jacob, who was giving her a meaningful look. She shook her head slightly.

"Huh..." said Courtney slowly. "Ok... well then I'm fresh out of ideas."

"Right..." Bella went silent then, staring at her screen. She messed around with a few of the color settings, but nothing that she saved. When one o'clock came around, she packed up her things and exited the classroom, feeling suddenly down. Courtney asked her if she wanted to go check out a new club, but she declined, as did Jacob. They parted ways, and she and Jacob grabbed some lunch. They took a booth in the corner of a fifties style restaurant and took up the menus. Bella wasn't particularly hungry, but she ordered a basket of onion rings anyway. As they waited for their food to arrive, Bella kept her eyes preoccupied by looking around the walls and staring at a few pictures of Seattle before it was really Seattle. She liked the look of old photos. One of the reasons she liked old movies so much.

"Bella..."

She turned to look at Jacob, who gave her a worrisome look. Bella put on a smile and tried to laugh off his concern. "Oh come on," she said, waving her hand. "One comment about vampires, and you're looking at me like I'm going to commit suicide! I'm fine, really..." Though Bella didn't feel it. It seemed as though Courtney's proposition had undone the latch of her memories, forcing her to think about that past year against her will.

"You're not fine," Jacob insisted. It seemed her uncertainty bled into her voice as well. "You can talk to me you know."

But how could she? How could she talk to her best friend about a man whom he hated and whom she loved? And if that weren't enough, how could she make him sit through her pining while he had already admitted to having harbored feelings for her for years now? The cruelty of the very thought caused her heart to clench. She put on a gentle smile and moved her hands out, taking his own.

"I'm fine," she said steadily. "Really, Jacob. I'm fine."

Still, he didn't look convinced. He moved out of his own seat and sat beside her, pulling her in with one arm. At first she was surprised by it, but soon, she found herself sinking into his warm chest. She let her head rest on Jacob's shoulder, staring at his hand. It was so much larger then her own. Just to emphasize it, Bella opened his up and laid her own flat on his palm. His hand was almost twice as large as her own. She felt so tiny sitting in his arms. She couldn't help but let a smile crack on her lips. She turned her head to look at him, her chin resting on his collar bone.

"You're pathetic," she teased.

He laughed, his chuckle echoing against his broad chest. "I know. I can't help it." He then poked her in the side. The sudden motion caused her to giggle. He continued to poke her ribs and stomach, while she shrieked with laughter and squirmed, begging him to stop. It wasn't until their food came that he stopped his torture. Feeling somewhat lifted, Bella began to work on her onion rings, stealing a bit of his chocolate shake in the process of eating.

Unfortunately, her happy mood sank as the afternoon wore into the night. As she wouldn't be clubbing with Courtney that night, she and Jacob caught a movie together. It was a standard action flick, letting her mind zone out for a good two hours. With nothing else to do afterwards, they went back to the apartments. It was nearing the end of the week, and Jacob seemed tired from the late nights and long days. He said his goodnights and retired to his bedroom. Now alone, Bella took her back pack and went to her own room. She sat on the bed, pulling out her photo and staring at it. For a full two hours, she tried to figure out what she wanted to do with the damn thing, but for the life of her, she couldn't think of anything she wanted to do. When she looked up to the clock again, she noticed that it was almost eight thirty.

She stood, her legs stiff from sitting for an hour and a half. Not wanting to be in her jeans for the rest of the night, she slipped into her pajama bottoms and top, and then moved into the living room. She plopped herself on the couch and turned on the TV. Lazily, she flipped through channels, trying to pick one to stay with. She went through most of them, not many able to hold her interest. That was when she landed onto Turner Classic Movies and realized that one had just started. To be specific, it was _The_ _King and I_ with Yul Brenner. She smiled and snuggled down, the film being one of her favorites. With a pillow clutched to her chest, she watched the technicolor movie letting herself get lost in the story. Where as the movie that she and Jacob saw earlier let her zone out for a good two hours, _The King and I_ always engaged her full attention. She hummed along with the songs, swaying back and forth with the music. She laughed at Brenner's erratic stage acting, smiling without fail at his funny countenance. But as the story continued, Bella felt her smile begin to fade.

A king... A king had to do what was right for his people, didn't he? Bella clutched her pillow tighter to herself. No matter how much a subject may be angered by it, a king needed to do what he thought was right. The teacher... no matter how good her intentions, the teacher was an outsider. She tried to bring peace for his world and hers, but as the film progressed, it just seemed as though their lives were too different. How could they possibly co-exist peacefully? They were too different. The teacher threatened their way of life; their values and their traditions.

And in the end, when the king died, Bella found herself bawling quietly, the pillow gripped so fiercely that she could no longer feel her fingertips. She hiccuped as she watched the ending titles, shaking and crying uncontrollably. She didn't even notice when Jacob walked into the living room and spotted her.

"Bella?"

The girl caught herself and quickly wiped away her face. She looked up to her friend, smiling weakly. "S-sorry," she said in a quiet voice. "It's... it's this stupid movie..." She sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve as he sat beside her. "It... always gets to m-me..." She tried to force a smile, but it backfired and sent her into more tears. She pushed her hands to her shameful face as Jacob held her, rubbing her back.

"I miss him..." she whispered. "Oh God... I miss him so much..." Her arms wrapped around Jacob's midsection as she pushed her face into his chest. She babbled incoherently. Not once did Jacob seem irritated or uncomfortable. He sat there, obediently petting her hair. Finally, her crying quelled and she was able to sit up. "I'm sorry," she began. She stopped when Jacob's hand touched her cheek. He leaned forward and kissed her just beneath her eye. When he pulled back, he gave her a timid smile.

"Now who's pathetic?"

The corners of Bella's mouth twitched and she hugged him close. The next morning, Bella awoke to find herself still on that couch, still wrapped in Jacob's arms.

Somewhat of a slow chapter, but don't worry! Excitement is just around the corner! Remember, leave those reviews! The more reviews I get, the faster I update!

~T.


	10. Jumper

All right! Enough with the boring chapters! Time to kick it up a notch!

**Ten: Jumper**

**T**hat summer day was one of the strangest and busiest twenty four hours Bella had ever spent.

It had been another fruitful class that afternoon. The students were already well into the program, but it didn't seem to Bella like anything had gotten old yet. They worked on their main project, but still had time for free choice pictures. A lot of times, they would break out their cameras and snap mugshots of one another. Bella was already keeping a shoebox full of snap shots and quick pics. It had been a week since Courtney's "vampire" comment. It took her a day or so, but soon she was back to her old self. It had stung her in a strange way when her new friend touched the subject. Almost as though she moved to sit on a bed and wound up with a tack on her tail bone. But her pictures kept her busy. She no longer went clubbing at night, much to Courtney's displeasure, but instead decided to stick with Jacob for the most part. They busied themselves with movies or exploring, and even a baseball game one time. Soon, her mind was soon off of the vampires who were once so important in her life. It was a Friday afternoon. For the most part, everything seemed ordinary. The only odd thing that Bella noticed was that the couple that she and Jacob had swapped rooms with didn't seem to be getting along all that well. She had noticed this disintegration in degrees, but it seemed to be quite profound this day. However, she didn't remark on it, to herself or to the others around her. Once their class was over, the students fanned out to do their own activities. As always, Bella and Jacob decided to hop across town to get a bite to eat. They wound up at a hotdog stand, where Jacob ordered three chili dogs, chili fries, a brownie and a chocolate shake. Bella shook her head as she poured ketchup onto her own hot dog.

"You have a bottomless stomach," she remarked with a smile. The two of them sat at the counter top, staring at a mirror behind several old advertisements and posters. Most of them were drawn in the propaganda style seen around the second world war. Bella found these pictures charming to a fault; despite their innocent features and pleasant faces, Bella always found these pictures to be a bit fake. Jacob shrugged and put a couple of french fries into his mouth.

"I need more energy then you do," he said simply.

"But when was the last time you transformed?"

Jacob cringed and then curled forward, leaning towards her. "Say that a little louder please," he hissed.

"Oops." Bella put on a tiny smile. "Sorry. I forgot that this entire restaurant is listening in on our conversations."

"Oh ha ha," said Jacob, rolling his eyes. "Really though. You need to be careful about what you say."

"And why's that?" Bella picked up her soda and slurped a little bit. Out of the corner of her eye, Bella watched Jacob frown.

"What? You're telling me you don't know about hunters?" Bella blinked and turned to look at him curiously.

"Hunters...?" she repeated.

Jacob let out a groan of aggravation. "Oy! Didn't that bloodsucker tell you –?" He stopped himself and cleared his throat. Bella kept a straight face, watching him. The hand that wasn't on her soda laid motionless on her lap. "I would have thought you would know about them by now," he finished. They looked at each other. "Apparently not. Well, the basic premise is this: there are a few fanatics out there who are obsessed with... well, people like me."

"Shifters," Bella finished.

"Lycans too. It's like hunting an animal, but the game is more challenging to them." He sifted a bit. "You can never really tell if there's one nearby, especially in a big city where it's easy for someone to hide in. So just... from now on, just be careful what you say. For me?"

Bella stared at her hot dog, picking at the bun a bit. She nodded. "I promise. I'll watch my mouth from now on." She turned to the mirror to continue her meal, when her eyes caught sight of someone outside the stand. Through the glass window was a figure that seemed oddly familiar to her. He had tanned, copper skin and ashen black hair, which was braided to his shoulders. He was a burly fellow with a tattoo of a grizzly print on the side of his neck. That's what stuck out the most.

"Hey Jacob... isn't that Sam Uely?"

As a response, Jacob began to cough violently. He put a fist to his mouth and hacked, choking on half his chili dog. Bella stared at him in surprise. Was he really that shocked to hear his cousin's name? Bella knew Sam only vaguely. She had met him a few times when she and Jacob spent their summers together, and once again during their interval with the Cullens. He was a silent man for the most part, with serious eyes and a stone set face. Bella was sure she never once saw him smile. With wide eyes, Jacob wheeled around on his stool, his mouth hanging open.

"What is _he_ doing here!?" His voice nearly squeaked. Even though Sam was on the outside, his head snapped towards Jacob's voice. His noble brow furrowed deeply and he marched into the stand. Jacob half glared, half gawked at his elder cousin as he was approached.

"Thought I'd find you stuffing your face," he sniffed, his trunk like arms crossing his chest.

Jacob's partially angry face became a glare. He spun back around and took a large bite out of his hot dog. "If you've come to bring me back, you're waisting your time. I told Dad that I didn't want to be home this summer, didn't I?"

"Jacob, this is foolish." Sam's voice was low and deep, much like the bear, which was undoubtedly his shifting animal. "You're sixteen now. And you're the _Mai-coh Mudjekee'wis_."

Bella looked at Jacob with a confused face. "The what...?"

Sam ignored her. "You cannot run from yourself forever, Jacob. Very soon you'll be eighteen. And then you must lead – "

"I'm well aware of what I am, Sam!" Jacob snapped suddenly. He glowered at the towering native, his eyes burning bright silver. "But I told you, I don't care! This is the twenty first century, for God's sake! We'd be dumb to keep up with that... stupid tradition!"

Sam narrowed his eyes. "Uncle Billy might go easy on you," he growled, "but that doesn't mean I'll let you get away with insulting our heritage..."

"Yeah? What are you going to do about it?"

The two males stared at one another with angry eyes. Bella didn't know what to do. She felt as though she was in the middle of some old Western gunfight. The tension seemed to spread, as Bella noticed a few others looking their way as well. Finally, the tension broke when Sam snorted at his younger cousin.

"You had better come back at the end of the summer," he threatened. Turning on his heel, he stormed out of the stand, leaving the two teens in silence. Bella turned to Jacob, who was still seething at the spot where Sam was standing. He turned back around and pushed his food away from him.

"I lost my apatite," he huffed.

"That's a first," Bella joked weakly. He pointed his angered gaze towards her. She shuttered a bit but went on. "What was that all about, Jacob?" she prodded carefully. "Did you two have some kind of fight or something?"

Jacob grabbed a couple of styrofoam boxes and proceeded to put his food away. "I'll tell you later," he grunted. Bella agreed. He was sure Jacob wasn't in the mood to explain anything now, so she figured it'd be best just not to ask. At least not at the moment. Once Jacob had calmed down a bit, then Bella would probe him with every question imaginable. They finished lunch and paid the tab, leading them back outside. They had walked from class, as it wasn't that far away, as was the apartment building. As they neared their temporary home, Bella noticed that quite a lot of people were gathering below it. A few people were yelling, though she couldn't understand what they were saying. Bella and Jacob looked at one another, before sprinting into the crowd to see what was going on. It didn't take too long to figure out.

Standing five stories up, clutching a window and teetering over the edge, was the boy who switched rooms with Jacob. Daniel, Bella recalled his name. Her heart jumped within her chest as she realized that he was debating on jumping off the ledge. His girlfriend was in tears just a few feet away from where Bella stood.

"You're being stupid! Get down!" she screamed. He shouted something back, though it wasn't very audible. Bella felt her body surge with the need to help. She looked over to Jacob and clutched his arm.

"We have to do something!" she said urgently. She didn't know the boy, or the girl, at least not all that much. Perhaps it was her time with the peace keeping Cullens, but she felt a sudden obligation to someone in danger. Even if the danger was that someone's own stupidity.

"What do you want us to do?" said Jacob with a frown. "It's his own fault he's up there..."

"Yeah, but..." She was interrupted by a surge of gasps as the boy nearly slipped and fell to his doom. That seeming to be the deciding factor, Bella ran into the building and hurried up the stairs, ignoring Jacob's shouts for her to stay outside. Thankfully, she knew what room he was in and opened the door. It was unlocked, to her good fortune. The apartment around her was messy. Things were thrown about, a few dishes broken here and there. Pictures were torn up, and even the television was thrown to the side. Bella also detected the faint smell of gas coming from the kitchenette. She carefully made her way to the window and cleared her throat. Daniel turned to her, his eyes red and puffy from crying. He had no color in his face, aside from that, and his light brown bangs were matted with sweat. Bella smiled uneasily.

"Um... hi..." She eased towards the window ledge, her hand resting on the wall beside her. He wiped his nose.

"What do you want?" he said. His voice was strained and breaking.

"Uh..." Bella wasn't quite sure what to do next. In all honesty, the idea of charging up there and being the great heroine was quite half baked, now that she looked at it. "To talk, I guess...?"

"There's nothing to talk about!" he sobbed. "My life is over!"

"Oh come on..." With a trembling body, Bella slipped out onto the ledge, standing up beside him. She tried her best not to look down, swaying slightly now that she was up so high. Why in the world was she doing something this stupid? "I'm sure you don't mean that..."

"I do!" he said frantically. "I do mean that! It's all over!" He shuttered and continued loudly. "My parents are splitting up! I _didn't_ get accepted into college, and now... and _now_ my girlfriend is pregnant!" He gripped the side of the window frame and sobbed frantically. "H-how am I supposed to support a family!? I can't even get into college! My parents don't g-give a sh-shit! Wh-what am I s-supposed t-to do!?"

Bella felt her sympathy overtake her. She edged over and put her hand on his arm. "But how would it help if you were dead?" she asked softly. Daniel sniffed and looked up to her. His eyes were almost welled shut with tears and crust. "How far along is she?"

"A-about a w-week..." he stuttered.

"Well then, there's always abortion," said Bella. "Or if you don't want to do that, you can just put it up for adoption. Or find a couple that wants a baby but can't have one..." She inched closer. "Have you even talked to her about it?" He hung his head shamefully and answered no. She assumed that they simply fought about it. Bella gave him a meek smile. "There's your problem. Why don't you just go down there and say your sorry?" Below the two of them, Bella could hear sirens and see the flashing blue and red lights of cop cars. She prayed Charlie wouldn't turn on the news to see live footage of his daughter teetering off of a five story building.

"She hates me!" he simpered.

"She doesn't hate you," said Bella. "If she did, she wouldn't want you to get down!" She felt an urge to channel her mother. Taking a breath, she jerked his shoulder and made him look at her. "So – so just man up and face it! So you screwed up! It's not the end!" He bit his lip and cast his eyes downward.

"B-but... but what if I can't find a g-good job...? Wh-what if my parents don't help? What if...?"

"What if monkeys fly out of your ass?" Bella finished, still keeping Reneé in mind. "Now come on. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get off of this ledge." She glanced downward and felt her stomach do a back flip. "For both of our sakes..."

Slowly, he nodded. He turned and began to make his way back into the apartment. As they turned to leave, Bella once more looked to the world below them. The ground was so far away. Just one slip and the two of them could meet a very unfortunate end. Bella felt a wave of nausea suddenly come over her. Her mind began to spin, her vision starting to blur. She tried to move forward, but instead started to sway backwards. Seeing this, Daniel quickly grabbed onto her arm. This, however, lead to them both tumbling over the side of the ledge. Before falling to their doom, Bella grabbed onto the window ledge with her hands, as Daniel did the same. Bella could almost hear the frightened screams of the people below. Pain shot through her fingers as she clung for dear life onto the window. She dared one more look to the ground. She noticed that Jacob was trying to run in to save her, but the cops had just shown up, and were keeping people out of the building. Turning her head back to the window, she noticed the cord to the lamp that sat beside them both. Without thinking, she grabbed on and started to pull herself up, trying to help Daniel as well. What she didn't take into account was the fact that the gas from the stove was still leaking, and that the plug at the end of the cord was attached to the outlet just inside the kitchenette. In a jerking motion, the plug snapped out, creating a spark that landed near the stove top. Before she knew it, bright orange flames stared at the two of them from inside. Bella, having nearly fallen a second time from the jerky movement of the plug, was now hanging by her mere fingertips, the wind swaying their bodies back and forth.

As the fire began to rage inside, Bella felt sweat accumulate around her fingers. Beside her, Daniel had once more brought himself to tears, crying hysterically that he didn't want to die. At that point, Bella felt her irritation outweigh her fear. She clawed her way back up, kicking her legs as though she were swimming. Splinters entered her hands, and her limbs screamed in pain as they were being ripped from their sockets. But she plowed through it, trying anything to get back up the ledge. Finally, her stomach found its way to the wooden ceil of the window. She awkwardly shifted herself around until her feet hit the floor. She bent over the wood and grabbed Daniel's wrists. With as much force as she could muster, she began to pull. But alas, her scrawny body could not lift up a boy larger then herself. The more she tried to pull, the more she was pushed down by gravity and dead weight. She could slowly feel herself being tugged down. Her hair started to fall past her shoulders, which were now burning with pain. Her heart plummeted up and down within her as she slid downward. Her eyes fell to the ground below. She knew what fate awaited her at the bottom.

Suddenly, a pair of large, strong hands gripped her stomach. Before she had time to think, she and Daniel both were yanked harshly from their situation and onto the floor. Around them, the fire had spread to the walls, crackling and licking up the side of the plaster. Bella hit the carpet with a resounding 'thump', and barely had time to look up before she was pulled to her feet and tugged out of the room by her hand, as was Daniel. However, it didn't take her more then a second to realize that it was Jacob who had saved them from peril.

He ran them down the hallway and into another room. He then lead them through an open window and onto a neighboring building's roof. Bella's legs were weak, and she found herself plopped onto the gravely top, shaking and gasping for air. She looked up as Daniel rounded to Jacob. "Thank you," he began. "Oh thank you so much – !"

Jacob hit him hard across the head. "That's for being an idiotic ass hole," he snapped. He gestured behind him. "There's a ladder over there. So get out of my sights before you really do end up dead." With a whimper, Daniel cradled his head and scurried over to the ladder, making his way to solid ground. Jacob knelt beside Bella and put his large hands on her shoulders. "Are you all right?" he asked firmly. Wordlessly, she nodded. He looked deeply into her eyes, his own steely gray wrought with worry. He closed them and took a long, deep breath. After which, he leaned forward, holding her close to his chest. "Holy hell..." he whispered. They sat there for a very long time, before Jacob pulled away, his hands still on her shoulders. "Let's head back down... where it's safe." Bella couldn't agree soon enough.

When the firemen did arrive, the flames had already burned through several rooms. They weren't able to control it until well after the sun went down. A good amount of things had been saved, and there were no lives lost, but their summer home had been ruined to the point of no return. Bella and Jacob sat on the edge of the fire truck, Bella wrapped in a warm blanket. She was thankful for it, considering that it was a cold night. She and Jacob watched as the firemen went in and out, carrying tarnished suitcases and charred duffle bags. Earlier, their film teacher announced that the rest of the program would be canceled, and that they would be getting their money back. Jacob stared at the blackened building, his hands facing upwards in his lap. He didn't have to say what was on his mind. Bella already knew what he was thinking: _What now?_

She had seen the interaction between he and Sam. He couldn't go back home after that. But where could they go? Courtney had offered them a place to stay, but she warned them early on that her building had a few rats, and bugs, and loud neighbors, and leaks. Respectfully, they declined. They had close to no real money, and almost seven weeks left of what would have been their camp. It was obvious that Jacob wouldn't even consider going back home. But where could they go? Perhaps they could stay at Bella's house? But Charlie would tell Billy, and Billy would tell Sam, and Sam wouldn't leave Jacob alone for whatever reason. She knew he wouldn't go for that. But what...?

A low whistle sounded beside them. They both looked up to see none other then Mac Gibbous leaning against the side of the fire truck, staring at the remains of the building. "That's tough luck, mates." He turned to the two of them and shook his head. "That's right down terrible that is."

"What the hell do you want?" Jacob was in no mood to deal with Mac, it seemed. The lycan put his hands up in defense.

"What? I can't watch the news?" He turned his yellow-green eyes towards Bella. "When I saw your little love nip up there on that ledge, I couldn't help but be curious. So I thought I'd come down here and see what I could see."

"Well you saw," Jacob snapped. "Whoopty-do. You want a cookie?"

"Ah, come on there, laddie," said Mac, pushing Jacob's shoulder. "Don't give me that! And here I was trying to lend my honest, moral support!"

"Well it's not wanted," said Jacob, turning his head away.

Bella sighed and put her hand on Jacob's arm. "Be nice," she said gently. Mac didn't seem to have ill intentions. Why did Jacob detest him so much?

"Yeah, be nice," Mac prodded. He stood straight up. "So I'm guessing you two are in need of a place to stay then?"

Bella looked up at him. "Yeah..." she began.

"I figured as much." Mac clapped his hands. "And if that's the case, ain't it lucky that I got some extra room in me on place, eh?"

Jacob looked at him suspiciously. "And why would you want to help us out?"

"Because," said Mac, "you got some balls, mate. The both of you." He paused and turned to Bella. "At least, metaphorically speaking for you, love." Bella nodded. "Anyway, I appreciate that when I see it. Besides, you and me are practically related!" He laughed, pushing Jacob again in a playful manor. "We gotta look out for each other, eh?"

Jacob shied away from Mac's touch. "Not interested." Mac stared at him for a while and then sighed, flipping his ginger bangs away from his face.

"Well I'll be over at the pub there." He gestured towards a grill and bar. "Come in and get me if you want to change your mind." With a devilish smile, Mac turned and left the two to themselves. Bella and Jacob turned to one another, faced with a decision.

Just how bad could it be to live with a pack of wild wolves anyway?

There we are! Things are starting to get exciting again. Leave those reviews, remember!

~T.


	11. Bella Swan and the Seven Wolves

On to chapter eleven! And really...? Just four reviews? Come on, you guys can do better then that. I have like, 500 reviews on TTR! Let's kick it up a notch!

Oh, by the way – "XD" is an emoticon that looks like someone's laughing. Tilt your head to the left and look at it sideways.

**Eleven: Bella Swan and the Seven Wolves**

"**_Y_**_ou what? Tell me one more time..._"

"Um... I nearly fell out of a window and started a fire... on accident..."

"_Holy hell, Bella..._"

"I said it was an accident!"

"_What were you doing up there in the first place?!_"

"Well... He looked ready to jump so... I don't know! I just did something!"

Her father let out a sigh on the other line. Currently, Bella was attempting to tell her father just exactly what happened in Seattle. She sat in Jacob's truck while her shifter friend followed the tail light of Mac's motorcycle. After heavy consideration, Bella decided that taking Mac up on his offer would be a good idea. After all, Jacob refused to go back home (for a reason Bella was still unaware of), and they had no money to find a new apartment. Despite this, Jacob seemed incredibly reluctant to even affiliate with Mac simply because he was a werewolf. Bella began to suspect that Jacob had a prejudice against any one who wasn't human or a shifter. Then again, it might have had something to do with the fact that Mac and his gang practically shoved the two of them off of a cliff. In any case, they really had no other option. So, they rode through the city, following the big bad wolf down sparsely lit streets towards where ever Mac was taking them. Bella almost felt as though they were heading out of the city at one point, but she wasn't quite sure. As they drove, the buildings began to grow considerably older and more rundown. Finally, Mac parked outside of an ancient, decrepit building. It looked to be some sort of warehouse that had since been abandoned by any industrial companies. Bella noticed that other then Mac's bike, there were about five other motorcycles lying idle. She apologized again to her father and explained that she had to go.

"_Are you sure you don't want to come home?_"

"No, I'm fine," she said. "I'll come home if I want to, I promise." After wishing him a good night, she shut her phone and got out of the truck. Indeed, the building that they had driven to was an old, storage facility. There were sections of concrete and dry wall missing from the outside walls, and many of the windows were boarded up or broken. Despite this, Bella saw different colored lights flickering and glowing from inside. She even heard a few voices and a television set. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, looking at Jacob. He wrinkled his nose as though he smelled something disagreeable.

"Ugh... I can practically smell the asbestos," he growled.

"Oh don't be such a sour puss," she said, pushing his shoulder. "They're being nice. Besides, this could be... fun." She looked around again, wondering if taking Courtney up on her offer was really such a bad idea after all. She was drawn out of her thoughts by a sharp whistle. Mac looked at the both of them, his head poked out from the double doors that lead into the building.

"Oy! Comin in or what? Dinner's almost ready."

"Dinner...?" Bella didn't realize how hungry she was until that word was uttered. She took Jacob's hand and the two walked in. Bella had to admit, the inside made up for the ruins of the outside. It seemed much larger once through that door. Almost as though she was in some other, strange world. She wished she had eight other eyes to take in everything.

Over in the corner, there was a diverse collection of arm chairs, cushions, love seats, couches and padded stools. They were all seated around a clunky, old TV with rabbit ears. There were strings of lanterns all hanging around from the ceiling, different colored paper covering the little bulbs underneath. They were strung up along with several strands of Christmas lights, some that flashed on and off in different patterns. In the middle of the floor was a nest of mattresses and pillows. Two others just like it sat near the back wall and the other rested atop an old boxing ring near the left wall. There was an old wood door near the back, probably leading to the bathroom. Bella prayed they had running water. Off in the right corner sat a compilation of different cooking items – a stove oven, an installed sink, a microwave and a refrigerator – all assembled for a make-shift kitchen corner. A boom-box sat just beneath the out of place kitchen counter, an old tin trash can sitting just beside that. And in every area of the strange home was a member of Mac's gang. For a second time, Mac let out a shrill whistle. Each of the five others turned to look at him.

"We're gonna be havin some guests for a while," he announced. "Everyone, this is Jake and Bella." A disassembled "hello" came from the other wolves.

"It's Jac_ob_," the shifter snapped. Mac didn't seem to care. He waved them over towards the kitchen, where a figure was currently making dinner.

"This here's Nickey. He's sorta like the mum o' all o' us."

Nickey turned to the new guests. He was a thin man (or was he a boy?), with soft, Asian features. His hair had been died platinum blond, and his eyes were a heavy, dark brown. He wore nothing other then a tank top and faded jeans, his bleached hair tied in a short pony tail behind his head. Bella had to blink a few times. With the way his slender body stood, and just how rounded and gentle his face looked, Nickey seemed almost feminine. But it was quite obvious, as she continued to look at him, that he was indeed male.

"Hey," he said with a charming smile. "Hope you guys like meat loaf."

"Meatloaf...?"

Nickey lifted a curved eyebrow. "What? You're not a vegetarian, are you?"

"No," said Bella quickly. She couldn't quite take her eyes off Nickey. It was odd to her to see someone who looked like he did part of a motorcycle gang, even if he was a werewolf. How did he remain alive amidst the others? She would have thought that they wouldn't even let him into the gang, much less give him respect.

"Good..." He turned his head to the side and spotted the two wolves who populated the area around the TV. One of the wolves played a video game. He had shaggy black hair that hung around his face, his arms toned and curved, with scars all along his skin. He hadn't even looked up when Bella and Jacob were introduced. The one who sat beside him was a large, rounded man with two flabby chins and thick, tree trunk arms. He had no hair, and instead chose to decorate his skull with a red dragon tattoo. Currently, he was eating a large bag of potato chips, watching the former shoot aliens and space ships and other things of the sort. Nickey frowned and put his hands on his hips.

"Fluffy," he barked. Bella did a double take. "Quit eating those chips; you'll ruin your dinner!"

The giant of a man looked over his shoulder, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's. He swallowed and held up his bag. "Ah, come on, Nickey! These are good – !"

In a sudden flash, a knife seemed to come out of nowhere and slice the bag in half, spilling chips everywhere. The knife itself stuck to the wall, vibrating slightly before going still. Bella nearly fell backwards, the action took her by surprise. She turned to Nickey, her mouth hanging open. Mac chuckled and walked up beside his companion, throwing an arm around his slim shoulders.

"Nickey here was raised by a family that was heavy in ninjutsu," Mac explained. "My best advice is to not get on his bad side."

_Well that answers why he's part of a gang_, Bella thought to herself.

Nickey only smiled and elbowed Mac slightly in the ribs. "You flatter me. Go on and get the guys ready. The meatloaf's nearly done."

"Alright. Come on, I'll introduce you to the others." Bella and Jacob followed Mac, who swung by the couch, where Fluffy was licking off the last bit of salt from his pudgy fingers. The one playing video games didn't even seem to notice the knife throwing, and continued to move his thumbs rapidly. "Well, you know Fluffy now... This little obsessive gamer is what we like to call a Tommy." Mac put a hand on his head and actually turned it up in order to direct Tommy's gaze from anything other then the TV screen. He had bright blue eyes, which seemed innocent and made him look younger then how he looked from behind. In fact, Bella might have pegged him for only about nineteen or so. After a blank moment of registration, Tommy took on a wide grin.

"Hey!" he said politely. "Why didn't you tell us we had company, Mac?"

The redhead lightly tapped the back of Tommy's head. "I did, ya bloody idiot! Ya were too busy playin' that damn game o' yers."

"Oh." Tommy blinked. His eyes slowly moved back to the TV screen and he began to play once more. Mac sighed and shook his head. "The only thing that breaks him outta that trance is food."

"Food?" Tommy perked and looked up like some expectant puppy.

"In a couple o' minutes," said Mac. "Nickey's getten the meatloaf ready."

"Kay!" With a beam, Tommy turned right back around and continued playing.

Rolling his eyes, Mac signaled the two to continue following him. He walked over to the boxing ring, where a man was laying down, his head hanging over the side. However, Bella couldn't see his face. This was because he had an upside down Playboy magazine covering it. Mac leaned against the side of the ring, holding a hand out as if to present him.

"This horny bastard is Reiko," he announced. Reiko waved his hand without removing the magazine from his face. "He doesn't say much, and he's virtually harmless. Except if you take his fap mags away." Mac pinched the bottom – or rather, the top – of the magazine and pulled it up. It revealed a face of hispanic heritage, a mustache and two bushy eyebrows that covered over two hazel nut eyes. "Say hi, Reiko."

"Hi Reiko," he said in a thick, Brazilian accent.

Mac let the magazine drop over his face once more. The minute he did, an explosion sounded just a few feet away from the kitchen. Bella and Jacob both practically jumped out of there skin, but they were the only ones. Bella directed her eyes towards the blast and found a billowing cloud of smoke coming up from what seemed to be a sort of computer station. Nickey let out a loud sigh. "Pike, please don't kill yourself before dinner."

Pike, the figure in the midst of the cloud, stepped out into the light and shook out his head. "Ah, right, sorry!" He also had a Brazilian accent. His hair was corse black, his skin a shade lighter then Reiko's. He also seemed younger then the man Bella just met, and he had no mustache. He took off his goggles, which left smoke rings around his eyes from the blast. "I just can't get this combination right!"

"What are you making?" Bella asked timidly.

Pike rubbed his hands together. "The ultimate liquid fire cracker!" he said happily. "I'm experimenting with different liquids. I've built this container that keeps two liquids separate, right? But then if you throw it or shake it up, then the liquids meet and – _boom! _The most awesome flash bomb ever! Right now I'm using liquid nitrogen and acetone, but I'm thinking about going with the old fashion glycerin. Only problem with that is that it can do a lot of damage, and I'm really only trying to make something like a firework show. I would use the chemical formula for a firework if I could, but I want to be inventive, you know? And I want something blinding! Something that really doesn't let you see for ten minutes once it goes off! And – "

"And you can finish all this later," Mac interrupted. "It's dinner time comin' up. Besides, we have guests. Bella, Jake? This is Pike. Reiko's slightly eccentric younger brother."

Pike blinked, seeming to really see the two for the first time. He smiled and took off his thick gloves, tucking them under his arm. He shook Jacob's hand and then Bella's, welcoming them to their home.

"Supper time!" Nickey called. "Come on, grab a chair!" Licking their lips, the wolves all grabbed a chair or a stool from around the TV and pulled them towards the would-be kitchen. Nickey pulled up a hanging leaf from the corner of the counter to make it into a half circle, accommodating all of them. Bella sat in between Nickey and Jacob, Mac sitting at the head of the counter. While Pike passed out plates and drinks, Nickey put a huge lasagna pan out of the oven, setting it in between them all. It was probably about 22x15 inches in area. Bella was almost afraid that _it_ was going to eat _her_. Fluffy was the first to reach over, a spatula in his hand. However, it was smacked away by Nickey, who glared at him.

"Ladies first," he said. He took the spatula and asked for Bella's plate. She was a little taken aback by the sudden inclusion in their meal, but gave it to him anyway. He gave her a considerable amount and set it in front of her. "What do you want to drink, sweetie? We have soda."

"Um... yeah, that's ok." Pike grabbed a can from the fridge and handed it to her. She looked at them all, as they were all looking at her, some almost curiously. "Th...thank you," she said meekly. Nickey cracked a smile.

"No problem, dear. All right. The rest of you fill your plates." It became a sudden scramble for the spatula as they all reached for it at once. Mac had to straighten a couple of the guys out, but soon, everyone had food in front of them. They then all erupted into mindless banter. Nickey brought Bella into a conversation, asking her what school she went to, where she was from, etcetera. Tommy, meanwhile, dove into a conversation with Jacob, with Mac jumping in every now and again. Pike just seemed to talk to himself, until Bella realized that he was talking to Reiko, who would give his brother a nod or a grunt of recognition, but not say much else. The only one who didn't talk was Fluffy, who was too busy stuffing his face with food to get a word in edge wise. Of course, the speed of the meal digressed with time, to the point where they were all relaxed and calmed down a little. Even Jacob wasn't scowling anymore. By the time they were finished, there was barely anything left in the pan. Nickey leaned back in his seat.

"Ok, who's turn is it to do dishes?" he asked.

"Is it Tommy's?" asked Mac.

"No!" said Tommy quickly. "I did dishes last night! It's Pike's!"

"I did dishes this morning, member?" said Pike. "It's Fluffy's turn."

Fluffy frowned, wiping his fat mouth with a napkin. "Is it?" Reiko shrugged, leaving the counter and heading back to his magazines. With a pout, Fluffy began to clear up the counter, putting things in the sink and filling it with soap and water. Bella watched him and then followed Nickey as he went to put up his feet by the TV.

"Why do you guys call him Fluffy?" she asked, leaning on the back of Nickey's chair. The Asian had just lit a cigarette and sighed out a bit of smoke before looking up to Bella.

"Why do you think." He thumbed towards the kitchen. "The guy's like a big pillow. Besides, he doesn't care what he's called." He closed his eyes and put the cigarette between his lips. "You should get some sleep, sunshine. If it's too noisy, I'll get the guys to cool it."

Bella smiled. She decided that she really liked Nickey then. "Ok. Thank you." She yawned a bit and saw Jacob trail Tommy to his game console. She looked around, trying to figure out where she'd be sleeping when Mac put a hand on her shoulder.

"You can take my room," he said. "You're probably the one in need of more privacy then the rest of us." He pointed to the door. "Upstairs is the bedroom, downstairs is the bathroom."

Bella nodded. "All right. Thank you, Mac." She approached Jacob and hugged his neck with one arm. "I'm going to bed," she announced. "Mac's letting me have his room."

"All right," he said with a nod. After that, Bella grabbed her duffle bag and walked through the door. The staircase had only one little lightbulb that hung from the ceiling, but it was enough for her to make her way upstairs. When she got there, she found herself in some sort of former office. It was also had the only window that wasn't broken or boarded up, and another one that looked down onto the floor. An old mattress sat in the corner, a leather satchel of things resting beside it. There was an old desk that was missing a leg and sat crookedly on the other side of the room. She went to her new bed and sat down. The springs were a bit rusty, but the blankets looked comfortable enough. After changing into pajamas, she laid herself down and stared at the window. Through the dirtied glass, she could see the small sliver of moon that peeked behind the light cloud cover of the evening.

_This is all so insane..._ she thought to herself. With a smile on her lips, Bella closed her eyes and curled up, drawing the blankets around her body.

Homework assignment! Which wolf do you like best? (Jacob doesn't count)

~T.


	12. Shopping for Carnivores

Ok! Much much better! Let's keep this review count going!

And for those of you who are screaming for Edward, relax. He'll be back in about... seven chapters, I think. So! Let's continue, shall we?

Oh, and just a heads up. The Vultori aren't really going to be in this one. We meet them in the next book because it goes better with the plot.

**Twelve: Shopping for Carnivores**

**T**hat next morning, Bella wasn't quite sure where she was. It took a small bit of time, but she soon remembered the events of the day before. It had only been twenty four hours, but it seemed to be ages ago. Now, her life had take a sharp turn for the... odd, perhaps? Bella wouldn't classify her situation as "worse" or anything of the like. In fact, meeting the strangled pack of wolves left her feeling rather excited. Looking back on her summer up until then, she realized that it had been boring. It was nice, but boring. The clubs were interesting, the class was fun, and the students were pleasant to talk to, but all and all, it was a pretty average experience. Average was something Bella had forgotten about over the past year. Average was back in Phoenix, back with her mother in her old high school. Average was before a vampire walked into her life. Bella's smile fell as she stared up at the old ceiling. Her hands clutched the blanket she was under. Yes. Her life had been somewhat average without Edward. Despite having fallen into a routine in the past year, there was always that little spark of adventure, of danger. It was a secret love affair, one hidden from most of the world. Oh, her friends knew about them, but they couldn't possibly _know_. Not all of it. Whenever they went out to dinner or to a movie, Bella would sometimes catch curious eyes directed their way. She would feel some sort of inner giddiness at the fact that they had no idea. Almost like a little girl with a secret hiding place, or something hidden in a box. It was childish, and no doubt that if Edward knew, he'd scold her for it. But it didn't matter to her. All of those close calls with Charlie, their inside jokes whenever they were in public... Bella had grown accustomed to having that. It made her feel special. Now that it was gone, she felt far too normal.

She hated that feeling.

From below her, Bella heard the ruckus of the wolves rousing one another for the day. Bella sat up and looked through the inside window. She watched as Pike roared with laughter, while Fluffy had to hold his nose and swat away smoke. Pike would have laughed harder, if Nickey didn't hit him on the head with a spatula. The Asian began to chastise him while Mac made himself some coffee. Reiko was still fast asleep, and Tommy was already setting up his video games for the day, Jacob right beside him. Her smile came back, if only a little bit. By hiding away with a pack of werewolves and one shifter, Bella felt special again, though it was slight. With a shake of her head, she dressed herself and brushed her untamable hair, before heading down to the ground floor in hopes to get some breakfast. Jacob looked up as he plugged in his controller.

"Morning," he said brightly. "How'd you sleep."

"Ok..." Bella walked over to the two and leaned against the top of the couch. "What are you two playing."

"_Alien Invader Zombie Racer 4_," said Tommy automatically. Bella blinked.

"Never heard of it..."

"Neither have I," Jacob admitted. "But it's pretty fun. Why don't you join in?"

Bella chuckled. "I've never really been one for video games." She looked up as Fluffy asked Nickey when breakfast would be ready.

"It's scavenger day, boys," he announced. "I need to go to the store today, so all of you can just fight for scraps until I get back." Fluffy let out a moan of annoyance and flopped into the large arm chair beside the television. Bella watched as Nickey went over to the kitchen and picked up the trashcan, setting it to the side. He then crouched down and fiddled with something on the floor. It must have been a combination lock, because he then pulled open what looked to be a trap door. He pulled out a wad of money and stood, shoving it into his pocket. "Anyone want to come with me?" he asked, pulling the can back over the now closed door.

"I'll come," said Bella immediately. She scurried over to Nickey's side. "I don't think I can be very useful here anyway." Besides Jacob, who was preoccupied with Tommy, Nickey seemed to be the only one Bella could really talk to. He smiled and nodded.

"All right. You are in charge of the list." He grabbed a long piece of paper from the fridge and handed it to her. Bella promised she wouldn't loose it and put it in her pocket. Nickey looked over to Mac, who was slowly drinking his coffee. "Later honey," he said in a playful way. Mac merely grunted. "He isn't anything without his caffeine," Nickey told Bella. They walked outside, where the motorcycles sat dormant. For a split second, Bella thought they'd be riding Nickey's bike to the supermarket. But he turned to the left, Bella having to jog to keep up with Nickey's long, quick strides. He walked around until stopping near an aged, white compact car. Bella was surprised at the vehicle. Nickey laughed at her facial expression. "It's not like I can carry groceries on a bike now, is it?" Bella shook her head and got into the passenger's seat. The carpeting was missing in some places, and it smelled slightly of smoke. There was a worn out, pine tree air freshener that hung from the rear view mirror, and the upholstery was torn and patched up in random places along the seats. In fact, the drivers chair didn't even match the rest of the car.

"It's... definitely something else," Bella remarked.

"We found it in an old junk yard," Nickey explained. "At the time, it was only myself, Mac, Pike and Reiko. Pike fixed it up for us, and even made a new key for it." He held out a piece of metal, a perfectly formed key molded at one end. The other end was just a flat, slightly squarish piece of material. Nickey put it into the ignition and started the car up. It sputtered slightly before coming to life. After that, Nickey began to drive along the road, heading back into the thicket of urban buildings. Bella took a look at the list to keep herself busy. She noticed quite a few meat products on the list, but considering what they all were, she supposed it shouldn't have been such a surprise. She also noticed peculiar things like foot cream and baby powder. Though, to save both of them embarrassment, she decided not to ask.

Nickey pulled into the market's parking lot and turned off the old jalopy. He then got out, Bella quick to follow him. They walked into the store, the sound of faint beeping and barely audible music floating around the area. The air conditioning was on high blast, and the high ceilings had lights embedded into the panels. Nickey grabbed a shopping cart, and the two headed towards the back of the shop, where the butcher's station was kept. After picking up at least fifty pounds worth of meat in assorted things like stake, hamburger, sausage, bacon, ribs and so on, they moved down to the dairy isle where Nickey put a large tub of butter into the cart. "Could you go grab a large butterscotch pudding for me?" Bella did so and Nickey smiled. "It's Mac's favorite. Though I get a large tub because Tommy likes it too."

Bella thought back to the gamer. "How did he get those scars on his arms?"

"Hm? Oh you mean Tommy?" Nickey tossed a couple packets of shredded cheese into the cart as well. "We found him like that, the poor kid. He was such a thin little runt when we stumbled on him. Barely alive, too..."

"Thin?" Though Tommy wasn't Fluffy's size by any means, the boy looked as though he could easily break a small tree in half.

Nickey nodded. "After we patched him up, he took to training with Mac and myself. He gained a pound here and there, and after three years, he looks like the fine young man he is today." Nickey rolled his eyes. "Though he spends more time playing that damn game then he does training anymore."

"Where did you guys find him?" Bella inquired.

"Half dead by the side of the road," Nickey explained. "As it turns out, Tommy was bitten really young, so his parents kept him locked away all his life, barely feeding him anything. He managed to escape one day. We found him after he spent a week wondering around with almost no food and no shelter."

"Oh..." Bella felt her heart clench. "Well I'm glad you found him..." Nickey nodded in agreement.

"We found Fluffy about a year after Tommy. He used to be a football player, until he was attacked one night. After that, his career went down the toilet, along with all of his money, trying to find a cure. He was sitting on the railroad tracks when we found him."

"And Reiko and Pike?" Bella inquired.

"They started out for America as little kids," Nickey went on. "They were born in South America, when their mother decided to take them up north for a better life. She did all they could, but while in Mexico, they were attacked, and their mother murdered. They got a little sympathy here and there, and finally made it across the border. That's when Mac and I were living in Southern California."

"And what about you?" Bella was hanging on to every word, intrigued by their stories. They made their way into the canned food isle, where Nickey began to practically load up on goods. "I know that your family taught you nin...ninjutsu...?"

"That's right," said Nickey. "My parents moved here when my mother was still pregnant with me. From the day I was born, I was raised in a dojo. But I still became pretty Americanized, without loosing my heritage. When I was seventeen, I was bitten after a high school football game. My father tried to heal me using ancient medicines and demon repelling spells, but it was no good. So, one day, I just left. I knew it would be best for all of us. I was the first one to meet Mac, who had just come out from Ireland."

"Hm..." Bella tapped her chin. They turned into the produce section. Nickey leaned forward to grab a tomato. "Ok then. What about Mac?" Nickey's hand stopped just short of the vegetable. He paused, keeping his eyes directed at the red food. Had Bella said something wrong? She was about to apologize when Nickey turned a smile towards her.

"He doesn't like people to know about it." He looked at the tomato and used a nail to pick a bit at the sticker. There was something in Nickey's eyes that struck Bella. It was a sort of longing that made her feel suddenly very sad. She nodded slowly and put a hand on his.

"Ok," she said, smiling a bit. He looked up and let out a little laugh.

"Well let's see then. What else do we need?"

"Oh!" Bella quickly took out the paper, realizing that she hadn't been reading a thing off of it from the moment they got there. Then again, there didn't seem to be reason to. Nickey had been doing just fine without it. In fact, Bella wouldn't be surprised if he knew this by heart. She checked off what they already had, and listed pasta, pasta sauce, and three loaves of bread. She looked up to follow Nickey towards the lettuce, when she noticed someone on the other end of the produce section.

He was a man, one with broad shoulders and a firm, set jaw, lined with stubble. He wore a faded baseball cap, which kept most of his curly, dark brown hair around his heavy set face. She couldn't see his eyes, though she did notice a particularly nasty looking scar on his right cheek. He didn't wear anything strikingly recognizable, just a gray-black sweatshirt and acid wash jeans. He had an empty basket in his large, gnarled hand, a few old tattoos poking out from under the sleeve. Something about him made Bella's legs immovable, and her eyes glued to his strong figure. It was a feeling that resonated deep within her gut.

"Bella?" She could see Nickey out of the corner of her eye walk over to her. He turned his direction over to where the man stood. Nickey also went silent.

"Is that guy weird to you?" Bella asked in a whisper. She had some strange notion that he could hear them if she spoke any louder.

"Not really," said Nickey lightly. "He's a hunter. I've seen his kind before."

Bella felt her heart drop within her chest. She could remember Jacob telling her about hunters – the obsessive trackers who found it more sporting to hunt werewolves and shifters. Was he trailing them? She looked up to Nickey with fear in her eyes. He noticed it and gave her a smile.

"Relax," he said, holding up a hand. "This place is public. He wouldn't dare do anything where other people can see us. Besides, there's only one. Even if he does follow us, he's outnumbered, and I'm pretty sure he knows it." And so, she and Nickey continued to do their shopping, the mysterious hunter following them, a good twenty steps behind. Bella felt her hair prickle on her neck as she kept looking behind her back. It got to the point where Nickey actually had to put an arm around her shoulders in order to keep her looking straight. Once they reached the checkout, however, the hunter was nowhere insight. Bella sighed and focused herself on putting the groceries onto the conveyer belt. She looked up after she had finished to see that the total reached over two hundred dollars. Bella raised her eyebrows.

"Do we have enough...?" She silenced herself as Nickey paid in cash, and still had some left over. She eyed the remaining cash and counted up at least fifty dollars. And something told her there was more where that came from. She began to grow suspicious as they headed out to the car. "How do you guys make all that money?" she asked finally while they loaded up the trunk. "Don't tell me you all have day jobs."

Once more, Nickey laughed, placing two gallons of milk into the trunk at a time. "You really want to see what we do to make money?" Bella nodded.

"Wait... it's not anything illegal is it?" She didn't want to end up on the news... again.

Nickey shook his head. "No, it's not illegal. But we're good at it, and it pays very well."

"What is it?" Nickey put the last of the bags inside and shut the trunk door. He turned and pulled out the make-shift key with a grin.

"You're just going to have to wait and see, now aren't you?"

Prediction time! What do you think Mac's pack (yes, it rhymes) does for money? Be as creative as possible! I bet you won't get it right!

LEAVE THOSE REVIEWS!!!

~T.


	13. The First Rule about Tipsy

Sorry I haven't updated in like... nine days... But come on! Five reviews? You guys can do better then that!

But on a separate note... o0 um... damn. XD Thank you, personally XxBloodyredrosexX for sending me nine reviews in one day... lol wow... And yes, your friends can actually review. They just type in a temporary name at the top when they do. To answer your questions:

1. No, I'm still trying to figure out the name for the new Eclipse... It has to be three words, and it can't have the word "dark" in it, because I've already settled on "Breaking Dark Dawn".

2. Yes, Emmett and Jasper have powers. Emmett, if you recall, can turn completely into stone. I think it's in chapter... twenty eight. When they're fighting the nomads. I think I've settled that Jasper is the fastest, though that's kind of lame. But whatever...

**Thirteen: The First Rule of Tipsy**

**T**hat Friday evening, Bella was on edge. Nickey had promised her that she and Jacob would tag along to see how they made so much money. While she waited the end of the week, she imagined what they did a thousand times over in her mind. She hoped they didn't deal drugs, though Nickey claimed that what they did wasn't illegal. Still, she worried and anticipated all the same. When the time finally came that they would be leaving that night, Bella had to stop herself from rushing to the door. Her curiosity was insatiable, her mind going crazy to try and figure out what it was that they did. Bella had turned and was about to get into Jacob's black truck, when Mac whistled.

"Bikes only, love," he said, getting on his own. Bella and Jacob looked at one another. The shifter shrugged and found his way on the back of Tommy's bike, the two more then likely discussing their latest game together. Bella shook her head and got on the back of Nickey's motorcycle, wrapping her arms around his thin waist. Thankfully, they had extra helmets, or Bella wouldn't have gotten on in the first place. She was nervous enough as it was, but trusted the riding skills of these wolves. Still, she seemed to be holding Nickey's waist tighter then she should have.

Nickey swore that he had told Mac about the appearance of the hunter, though there didn't seem to be any reaction from it. Ever since seeing the mystery man in the store, Bella had been on edge, afraid that they might be jumped on one day or another. But Nickey constantly assured her that they had nothing to fear. Or at least, not much to fear anyway. True, hunters were good cause to be alert, but as he continually reminded her, it was seven to one. The odds were in their favor, and then some. And had there been more of them, they still would have the upper hand, as the pack was mobil and very ingenious at escapes. Nevertheless, Bella kept awake for as long as she could, staring out Mac's window.

The pack rode even further from the city then they already were, heading down tiny roads and unmarked streets. Bella wondered if where they were headed was even on the map. She doubted it. The buildings were either barely running or completely empty. A few abandoned cars were laying listlessly along the side of the road, and every once and a while, Bella could spot the reflective eyes of a timid animal. Though with the dark helmet covering her vision, it was hard for her to detect anything other then the headlights of the motorcycles and the glow of the half moon. She wondered about it while the chilly wind played with the ends of her hair. She wondered just what kind of effect the moon had on these men. What did they look like as wolves? She already knew what Jacob's other form was – a silvery, white wolf that glistened in light. But what about the others? They had to look at least a little bit different. Perhaps they all were different colors? Perhaps their bodies were half humanoid in nature? What if they couldn't control themselves while in their forms? Were they really the mindless beasts that legend made them out to be? Or could they still think and make decisions as though they were still human? It was all quite intriguing to think about.

Finally, they slowed to a stop. Parking, Bella realized that they were outside of a run down, sleazy looking bar. It had no windows, a few of the lights on the building's sign either flickering or completely off. The title "Bubba's Bar" read in big, bold letters along the side. It was low to the ground, with a roof that seemed ready to fall in on itself. The pack took off their helmets and walked over to the door. Mac knocked three times and waited. The peep window slid open its door as two pairs of dim eyes stared out at them. Mac flashed a charming smile, right before the tiny opening slid closed again. Bella could hear a lock or two coming undone, and then watched as a beefy man with a buzz cut opened the door. Mac nodded to him and stepped inside, the others following suit. Bella was just ready to come in behind Tommy, when she felt a meaty hand stop her shoulder. She looked up as the bouncer narrowed his eyes. He leaned in, causing Bella to rear back. He sniffed around her head and frowned at the leader. Mac shook his head.

"She's with us," he told the bouncer, slipping him a nice, fifty dollar bill. "Don't worry. She's a good egg, mate." The man palmed the money and stuffed it in his pocket. Wordlessly, he motioned for them to walk inside. Just as she felt awe at the wolf den, Bella found herself in another world entirely. For one thing, what she walked into wasn't a bar. In fact, it was anything but. As she stepped inside, she seemed to have walked into a secret, underground fight club of sorts. She stood, currently, on a small slab of concrete which lead to stairs, heading down to a huge, open basement, bigger then a parking garage. There were floodlights strung up to the top of the ceiling – or the bottom of the first floor, however she saw it – that bathed those below. As they descended down the stairway, Bella could hear the blasting of heavy music, and the roar of dirt bikes. At one point, this place seemed to serve purpose as an underground skate park, but now was used for something completely different. In one of the bigger indents in the floor, Bella saw a good handful of figures, probably wolves, riding dirt bikes all around the inside of the hole. On the opposite side, plywood had been put over one of the more smaller depressions to make room for a fighter's quarter. In both areas, hoards of people were circled, cheering and hollering for their side to win.

Mac lead them to the ground floor, where Bella smelled the strong scent of raw meat. Turning, she saw a bar of sorts where all kinds of flesh were hooked up to the ceiling by chains. There was a menu and a price list beside the stand, as well as a list of alcohol. There was now no doubt in Bella's mind that this place was designated specifically for werewolves. They headed over to the center of the place, Mac putting his hands on his hips. "Let's see... who feels like racing?"

"Oh I do!" said Tommy brightly. "I fought last week anyway."

"Reiko and I will head over to the sparring ring," said Pike, thumbing his way over to the crowd on the left. Fluffy was already making his way towards the meat bar without a word.

"Right." Mac turned to Bella and Jacob. "You two want to come watch us play our favorite game?" Bella smiled and nodded, she and Jacob following the other three towards the racing track. Bella squeezed her way to the front of the crowd, watching the riders fly along the concrete. They whizzed by on dirt bikes, probably chosen for the sport because of their lighter weight. They moved so fast, they went in circles nearly along the side of it. As they raced, Bella saw the riders taking swings at one another. She gasped as one of them got kicked off of his bike and tumbled into the center. A great whoop and cheer came from the onlookers, laughing at the man's misfortune. Jacob was also appalled at the lack of sportsmanship. He looked up to Tommy.

"What the hell!" he said. "He just kicked that guy!"

Tommy cocked an eyebrow. "So?"

"What do you mean, 'so'?!" Jacob explained. "That's... that's got to be a fowl... or something!"

Tommy snorted a bit, grinning. "I take it you've never played Tipsy before."

"Tipsy?" Bella repeated, watching the race be called to a finish. The wolf riding the red bike came out victorious, and was greeted with cheers and pats to the back. She looked to Tommy as he began to explain.

"It's a racing game," he said. "The first rule about Tipsy is that there are no rules. Anything goes. And whoever stays on their bike the longest, and goes around twenty times first, wins." He looked up as the first poor soul who fell over hobbled out of the pit, dragging the bike along with him. "It's pretty fun."

"Yeah," said Jacob, "if you like getting your skull bashed in..."

Thus another game was set up. Tommy hurried over and snagged the blue dirt bike, sitting himself proudly on the seat. Nickey handed him his helmet, which he put on eagerly. Bella bit her lower lip and urged Tommy to be careful. Tommy gave her a thumbs up, as if telling her he'd be ok. With a rev of his engine, he perched himself on the edge of the pit. Four others on different colored dirt bikes all lined up on either side of him, getting ready. Bella noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that Nickey was taking bets. That explained a few things.

A man held up a gun and fired, signaling the start of the game. The five bikers sped into the pit and started going around. Bella was an inch away from actually biting her nails. She flinched whenever anyone took a whack at anyone else. They moved in a fast, blurring motion. So fast in fact, that had the bikes not been different colors, she might have lost track about who was who. First, the wolf on the green bike was thrown to the floor, after the one on the yellow hit him over the head with a led pipe. Thankfully, he was wearing a helmet, or else the man might have suffered serious damage. Next, the one on the black bike accidentally turned too fast, spinning a bit out of control, thus taking out both himself, and the yellow bike. They were quickly pulled from the pit, as only Tommy and the red biker were left.

"Come on, mate!" Mac cheered, clapping his hands. "You can do it! Just ten more laps!" Tommy sped up, the angry buzzing getting louder and louder with each inch. Bella watched as he and the red bike were neck and neck. She nearly forgot to breathe, watching them nearly ram into one another. In fact, that's exactly what the red biker did. Tommy swerved, trying hard not to topple over. Bella gasped, gripping her hands tightly to herself. When Tommy regained his control, she let out a breath and shouted for Tommy to hang on. That's when the wolf on the red bike lurched forward, trying to hit him again. Suddenly, Tommy slammed on the breaks, causing the red biker to jerk front-ways, tumbling off of his bike and rolling down into the center of the pit. Tommy skidded to a halt and nearly fell over, but regained himself before doing so. Bella and the others broke into happy cheers, Mac patting Tommy's shoulder as he walked out. He took the helmet off of his sweaty head and laughed, nodding and thanking them. All the while, Nickey collected on their bets, coming back with at least three hundred dollars.

"Hey!"

Blinking, they all turned to the sharp voice directed towards them. The crowd peeled away to reveal another wolf pack, the leader looking absolutely livid. He was a tall, thin man, with fading black hair that hung messily around his face. His eyes had a sickly yellow tint to them, and he wore a large, leather jacket over his boney body. Behind him, the others were helping the red biker back out of the pit. The wolf stormed up to Mac and the others. "Rematch," he spat.

Mac cocked an eyebrow, not the least bit intimidated. "Rematch? What, can't take your losses like a man, mate?"

The other wolf sneered at him, his lips curling beneath his hooked nose. "I said, rematch. A one on one Tipsy game. All or nothing."

Mac folded his arms. "All or nothing? Well you seem to be right confident." He rubbed his chin. "All right... I'm guessing we're going with thief rules?"

"What are thief rules?" Bella asked, turning to Nickey.

The man smiled. "It means that each side gets to choose their opponent. We get to choose who rides against us, and vise versa. It can work out for your favor or against it, depending on how you choose." The wolf spotted Nickey as he explained the rules to Bella. A twisted smirk made it along his thin lips.

"We'll take the fag."

Nickey froze where he stood. Like an electric shock, Bella could feel the playfulness in the air zapped out from the area. Even the crowd grew quiet. Apparently, Mac's gang – Nickey in particular – was revered. Or at least respected enough not to be made fun of like that. Bella heard a sharp growl behind her. Tommy took a step forward, but Mac grabbed his shoulder before he could do anything. Nickey slowly turned to the man, a polite smile on his face. But behind his dark brown eyes, Bella could see a spark of hate that nearly terrified her.

"All right," he said calmly. Mac stood right next to him, glaring dangerously at the other pack. "Then I pick... Mr. Stay Puft over there." He pointed to a large, muscular man standing behind the leader wolf. The man laughed and patted the challenger's arm.

"You must have a death wish, fruity," he jeered. "Stan can pull you apart with his bare hands."

Nickey simply shrugged. "Never the less." Turning on his heel, Nickey headed over to the blue bike. As he got ready, Bella saw a few others headed that way. In particular, the rest of Mac's gang. Word of the insult and the challenge flew through the wild fire, and soon everyone was hurrying over to see the one-on-one challenge. As far as Bella could tell from listening in to others' conversations, the leader of the opposing pack was named Sam, and he and his wolves had only been staying in Washington for about two weeks or so, as they plan to head down from Canada to California. Bella also picked up the overall feeling that these newcomers had absolutely no idea what they got themselves into. As Nickey got on the bike, he began to take off his jacket and protective padding that he usually wore while riding. He didn't even put on his helmet. Bella began to worry. She had no doubts about Nickey's capability, but it still unnerved her that he wouldn't even be wearing a helmet in a game this dangerous. She decided to take it up with Mac.

"What is he doing?" she hissed urgently. "He'll be killed like that!"

"Relax," said Pike, interjecting. "You see, what they fail to realize is that Nickey is small. And without all that extra stuff, he can move faster, swerve quicker... He's much more aerodynamic then that other Hulk there." He gestured towards Sam, who was putting on his helmet. "And besides, if he doesn't have his helmet on, there's much less of a statistical chance that he'll be blind sighted."

"But he could get his head cracked open!" said Bella frantically.

"Relax," came Mac's Irish drawl. "If anyone can do this, it's Nickey." He flashed her a devilish smile. "Mean as a snake, Nickey is. He'll set 'em straight, mark my words."

Bella only hoped Mac was right. She watched as Sam's pack jeered at Nickey. "This ain't a strip-show, faggot!" But Nickey ignored them and removed everything but his tank top, jeans and shoes. He shifted on his bike and smiled up to his alpha.

"Wish me luck, sweetness." Mac nodded with a grin as Nickey brought the bike to life. Stan also turned his on, revving it up on the opposite side of Nickey, rather then right next to him. It seemed as that rules were different when there were only two players. Indeed, it seemed that this one wouldn't be counted in laps. The first to fall will end the game, even if it took all night. The two motorcycles idled for a moment, before the man with the gun pointed it up a second time, and shot at the ceiling. The two wolves dove down, and began to circle one another. Bella got to her knees, gripping the edge of the pit tightly, watching the two speed around like fast buzzards. Bella tried to keep up with the two, and watch as the very large Stan was having trouble keeping up with the very small and sprightly Nickey. He swung at the Asian every now and again, but always missed. In fact, Nickey seemed to be having a wonderful time, practically flaunting in Stan's face. They soon rode side by side, leaving a few skid-marks on the concrete. Bella's heart plummeted as Stan grabbed hold of Nickey's thin arm. That's when he did something directly out of left field.

While Stan had his hand locked on his arm, Nickey knocked off his helmet, and kissed him flat on the lips.

With an embarrassed yell, Stan flailed backwards, falling head first off of his bike. A good portion of the crowd burst into cheers as Nickey did a few victory laps around his fallen challenger. He then sped up and hopped over the edge, skidding to a halt. Mac and the others surrounded him, laughing and patting his back. After a brief moment of celebration, the pack all rounded to Sam's gang. Mac walked up to him, expectantly. "All right, mate. The deal was all or nothing. Pay up."

"Your wolf fights dirty," Sam spat. "Fucking disgusting faggot!"

Mac's eye twitched, his smile becoming more poisonous. "Nevertheless," he continued, his voice threateningly low. "That was the deal, wasn't it? Pay. Every last sent you bloody idiots got."

With a glower, Sam began to reluctantly empty out his pockets. Mac swiped the money and thumbed through the crinkled bills. He eyed the silent wolves behind him. "Your mates too." With a huff, Sam instructed them to hand over their money. They did so, and Sam folded his arms as Nickey pocketed it.

"Hm..." Mac looked them over. He looked over his shoulder. "Oh Fluffy. I don't think they paid us everything. What do you say about double checking, eh?"

With a smirk, the large wolf made his way over to Sam, who took a half step back from the giant. Without warning, Fluffy leaned down, grabbed Sam by the ankles and turned him upside down. A roar of laughter ensued when Fluffy began to shake him up and down, like a cartoon bully looking for lunch money. Sam spat and raved, his face going red. A few valuables fell from his pockets, as well as a couple hidden bills that had been stowed away in his shirt. Pike collected what fell out and handed it to Nickey, who shook his head at Fluffy's antics. The wolf then tossed him to the floor, while his measly wolf followers helped him to his feet. No longer even having the pride to snap or threaten, Sam and his pack fled the club, a string of laughter and taunts following them out.

Ok, here's another chapter. Now come on then! Reviews! More then just five per chapter, thank you!

~T.


	14. Strangers with Garlic Bread

Thank you! Let's keep that review count up!

**Fourteen: Strangers with Garlic Bread**

**I**t had been a week had a half since Bella's introduction to the underground world of wolves. During that time, the young girl found herself enthralled in the lifestyle of the wolves. She began to know each one in more and more detail. Pike had always been a genius, but he had a short attention span and constantly changed projects. When he showed Bella his experiments and gadgets, he spoke so fast that Bella could hardly follow. But there was no doubt that his inventions were all intriguing. And while Reiko didn't say much for himself, Pike explained that he was a mechanic as well. Though he had grown too lazy and too horny to play with machines anymore. Now all he did was read _Playboy_ and _Hustler_. As for Fluffy, he told Bella all about his carrier as a football star. He had grown up in Louisiana and actually played for the Saints about a year before he was bitten one night during Mardi Gras. The one time he actually cooked instead of stuffing his face was when he made gumbo – something Bella couldn't get enough of. When he wasn't playing "mommy", Nickey showed Bella some of his old family heirlooms that he took with him for good luck, including a small doll and a spool of red thread. Bella was a bit confused, but didn't question the items. Tommy even got her to play a video game or two, but she wasn't at all as good as her host. The only person she didn't seem to get to know a lot about was Mac. It was sort of strange, as he seemed the least likely to be dishonest or hide himself. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to ask about his past. She felt as though she'd be violating some sort of personal space if she did.

But as exciting as these new faces were, Bella didn't go so far as to neglect the person who brought her there in the first place. So that Saturday night, Bella insisted that she and Jacob go out and do something. Perhaps grab a bite to eat or go see a movie. The two decided on the former, as sitting still for two hours now seemed dreadfully boring. Besides, it would be two less mouths for Nickey to feed. For some reason, Bella felt giddy before leaving. As she got herself ready in Mac's room, she found herself messing with her hair more then usual. She just didn't know what to do with it. But why did it matter? This was just dinner with a friend. It wasn't as though the had never eaten together before, still... Perhaps the new additions caused her to feel that this was a chance for she and Jacob to reconnect through all the craziness. Therefore, this night was important. She put her hair in two braids, and then undid them. Pig tails were for children. She tried putting it into a pony tail, but it frizzed out so much it looked as though she stuck her finger in a light socket. She tried leaving it down, but it got into her face constantly. With a groan, she fell face first into the mattress, grumbling to herself.

"Knock knock..." Bella looked up to see Nickey walk in. He gave a kind smile. "Ready for your date yet?"

Color flooded Bella's face. "I-It's not a date!" she insisted. She sat up and wet her hands with a water bottle, trying in vain to smooth her hair down. What she wouldn't give for a straightener...

"Sure it's not," said Nickey knowingly. He laughed and walked up behind her. "Slow down sweetness. Here." Grabbing a hair tie, he put her hands down and combed through her mane of brown. "You know, Jacob isn't too bad looking. A bit young, but cute."

Bella smiled a bit. "Yeah..." She stuffed her hands into her pockets as Nickey braided her hair. "Well... He and I have been friends forever..."

"Have you?" said Nickey with a grin. He tucked a piece of hair into the tail and continued to go down. "Damn your hair is thick." With a shake of his head, he tied the braid at the very end. "Kind of like Mac and me?"

"Kind of... But we've been friends since we were kids." Bella paused, looking at a clip in her hand. "He likes me."

"No shit," came Nickey's lofty response. Bella said nothing and Nickey cocked an eyebrow. "What? You don't like him back?"

"It's not... that..." Bella sat on the bed, her arms locking around her knees. She sighed, staring at the floor. "I just... we're friends. Best friends. And..." And she didn't want to get hurt again. She pulled her knees tighter to her chest. Nickey sat beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"There's someone else isn't there?" She looked up to him with sad eyes. Turning them back to the floor, she sighed, picking at her jeans. She hadn't thought about him till recently. But now that Nickey brought it up...

"There was," she admitted.

"Was... Let me guess. He hurt you? Very badly?"

She gave a rueful smile. "Not exactly... He um... had to move. I haven't heard a word from him since then. It's been a few months."

"Ah..." Nickey nodded in understanding, his arms crossing. "Is there a reason he moved?"

Bella's heart sunk lower. "Yes," she said in a small voice. "It's because of me."

"And what did you do?"

A bitterness stabbed at her eyes, but she held back tears. She didn't want to mess up her face for that night. "His father doesn't want us together."

"Oh?" Bella felt a friendly hand stroke her braid. She nodded. "I see..." They sat in silence for a moment. Bella could feel Nickey's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look at him. "Do you think he's ever coming back?"

Bella didn't know how to answer that. It made her entire soul squirm to so much as face the possibility. But the truth was the truth. There was no getting around it, no avoiding it, no use lying. She shut her eyes and leaned into him like she would have done to her own mother. Nickey wrapped his arms around her and waited for her answer. "No," she finally said. Nickey put his chin on her head.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. He pulled away and sat her up, wiping away a few tears that clung to her eyelashes. Bella took a breath and put on a timid smile of thanks. Nickey returned it. "Why don't you just go have fun... ok? Ignore the rest of the world for once." Bella's heart swelled. She felt closer to Nickey then any of them. It was like he was her brother... but closer. Ever since they met, she had no problems talking to him about anything. She hugged his neck tightly, feeling his hands rub up and down her back. When she stood, Nickey looked her up and down. "Now!" he said, clapping his hands. "Let's get you into something a little sexier, what do you say?" Bella laughed at that.

"I don't really have anything 'sexy'," she protested. But he waved it aside.

"Well at least show a little more skin... here." He began to make changes to her wardrobe. Some of the changes were huge, some of the changes were minor. By the time he was done, Bella had changed from her typical t-shirt to a low cut tank top, her baggy pants swapped out for her low cut jeans that she rarely wore. She was also given a wrist band to wear on her right. Nickey told her that it gave her look a little more interest. Once she was ready to go, Nickey shooed her down to the first floor, where Jacob was waiting for her. It was obvious that Mac was also prepping the shifter for their dinner that night. The two were talking closely near the counter when she came down. Jacob looked up to her and grinned in a goofy, innocent way, his hands in his pockets. His hair was let loose for now, some of it tucked behind his ear. Mac smirked over to Nickey.

"She ready?"

"Oh sure," said Nickey, patting her shoulder. "And Mr. Black there?"

"Ready as ever," said Mac with a wink. Simultaneously, the two pushed both teens towards one another. Jacob flashed Mac an irritated look, but turned back to Bella with a smile.

"Well um... let's go." Bella nodded in agreement and the two headed out to his truck. They listened to the radio while they drove, singing along to songs that they both knew. While they rode, Bella kept her eye on the driver. A warm smile made it to her face. Where would she be without him, anyway? He was always there when she needed him, even when it hurt him personally. Bella felt an onslaught of guilt wash over her. She hoped that her relationship with Edward didn't hurt him badly... But then again, how would she feel if Edward had a girlfriend? The thought sent angry shivers down her spine. She turned her head and stared out the window. That's right... Edward had already had a lover before her. And with how well he seemed to like humans, who was to say he hadn't already moved on? Part of her knew it wasn't true, but another part of her – an angry, jealous part – ignored it. He was probably making his moves on a girl as she sat there, thinking about it. Either that or he was still pining away after Annabell...

That name brought venom to her heart as she thought about it even more. Annabell... Annabell Susan McCleary. Edward's first love. Probably his only love. As Carlisle suggested, she was probably nothing more then a substitute for her. She remembered how emotional he got after telling the tragic tale to her. Was that all she really was? A replacement... She began to think about it. Bella was Annabell's age when she was turned. They were both found by Edward in Forks, both finding out about Edward's secret. Was that the only requirement? To know that Edward was a vampire? She wondered how many other girls discovered the truth and then fell madly in love with the creature. She snorted softly to herself. That's right... He used to be a playboy in the twenties, didn't he? He practically bragged about how many women he seduced then. The damn tramp. She couldn't believe how many tears she actually cried over him. He didn't deserve a single one.

"Bella?" Blinking out of her daze, she turned to look at him. "You ok? You went quiet." She looked out the window, noticing that they had arrived outside of a small Italian place. She must have not been paying attention. Shaking her head, she put on a large smile for her friend.

"I'm fine," she said brightly. They got out and headed into the restaurant. Bella glanced at Jacob. He would never have left her, even if his father disapproved. That's when Bella remembered – Jacob's father didn't even want him here, did he? She remembered Sam's appearance. It seemed so long ago... But it was really only two weeks. She still had no idea why Jacob didn't want to be home, but he wasn't about to do something he didn't want to do. He would never be so submissive. Jacob had what Edward didn't – a backbone. She felt some sort of fiery vengeance well inside her. Just as they were about to walk in, Bella laced her arms around Jacob's arm and rested her head on his shoulder. He seemed a bit surprised, but smiled anyway. In fact, he seemed even happier. If she was with Jacob, she knew for sure that she was no substitute. Jacob had been in love with her for years now – she assumed anyway. Besides, why would she even _choose_ that emo, manic-depressive vampire over Jacob? Jacob, the tall, bronze, long haired goof ball who always made her laugh. Had his chest always been so broad and impressive? And his arm. It felt so firm around her own. It was attractive... Very attractive.

They were greeted by a maître d' and given a table in the corner of the restaurant. It reminded her a bit of the bistro that they went to for the photo class. However, this was far more of a comfortable affair. Faded pictures of Italy caked the walls, dripping wax candles flickering on all the tables. Faint string music floated through the air, as did the alluring smells of Italian food. The marinara sauce and garlic bread... Garlic. Bella nearly laughed out loud. That was right – Jacob didn't nearly have the limitations that Edward did. No sneaking around at night, no risking going out in the day time... And no sneaking around her father either. In fact, her father would probably encourage the relationship. As would Billy. They had been predicting their marriage for years now, anyway. Bella hated to disappoint. Instead of sitting opposite him like she always did, she actually sat beside him. His smile turned even brighter – if that was even possible.

They grabbed a menu and skimmed through the choices. After playing around for a moment or two, they finally decided on their meals. Jacob, of course, got a large plate of spaghetti with extra meatballs, while Bella chose chicken Marcella and a Dr. Pepper to go along with it. They ate and talked light like they always did. The only difference this night is that Jacob's arm somehow found its way around her shoulders. They enjoyed themselves to the fullest extent, Bella laughing every five seconds. She even laughed so hard at one point, she started to cry. They were half way through dinner when Jacob needed to go to the bathroom. She got out of the booth and watched him go, smiling to herself. She and Jacob were already best friends... This might just make them closer...

"Are you finished miss?"

"Oh, no I'm still..." She looked up, only to have the color drain out of her face. Standing beside her, an apron over his front, was a man. A man with dark, curly brown hair and a particularly nasty looking scar over his right cheek. She trembled, staring into his eyes. They were a dark, deep brown color, his short lashes framing their almond shape. The mysterious hunter from the supermarket was staring down at her. She gripped the napkin that sat in her lap, her fingernails digging into the fabric. Fear spread over her body as she whispered: "What do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The man's voice was low and gravely. He didn't seem like a smoker, though his tenor crinkled like a dangerous animal. His eyes narrowed beneath his thick brow. "I never could understand girls like you. Risking your neck and for what? A cheep thrill?" Bella could say nothing. She was too petrified to speak. "Relax. I don't hunt humans."

"Please don't hurt any of them," she said in a pleading tone. "They're... they're my friends... they're practically family..." But the man said nothing. Instead, he turned and walked away, leaving Bella with a drained stomach, despite having eaten half of her meal. As he vanished in the sea of cooks and waiters, Bella couldn't stop staring. Who was that man? What was he planning? Should she warn the others?

She had a feeling that her life of fun and games was about to come to an abrupt end.

All right! Review please! And before you Edward fans start wining, relax. He'll be back soon enough. Until next time!

~T.


	15. Playing Fetch

Hey everyone. Sorry I've been a bit slow on updates, life has been a bit crazy. Anywhos, good work with the review count! Let's keep that number up!

Anyway, remember how I left out the baseball game in the last one...?

**Fifteen: Playing Fetch**

"**H**ey... hey...! Wake up!"

Bella shifted in her sleep, groaning a bit. "Wha...?" She sat up, rubbing her crusted eyes. Mac was crouching beside her, propped up on the balls of his feet. He gave her a cheshire grin, his red hair standing up on some parts. Bella looked at him groggily. "What?"

"Get dressed," he said, standing up. "Wear somethin' warm. And tennis shoes."

Bella stared at him for a moment before looking over at her cellphone. "Mac, it's one in the morning..."

"I know. We're late enough as it is. Come on."

Without a word, he left Bella to dress. She stared at the door for a moment or two before slipping out and beginning to change. With the passing days, Mac seemed to get stranger and stranger to Bella. It had been three full days since her date with Jacob. She had told Mac and the others of the hunter approaching her, but they didn't seem at all worried. Despite the fact that she insisted that this guy meant trouble, none of them were concerned in the slightest, least of all Mac. The only one who showed any sort of worry towards the situation was Jacob, and that was just because he and Bella were close friends. Bella blushed as she slipped a long sleeved shirt onto her body. After the news, the other wolves seemed to push the two friends even closer together. Nickey especially liked the idea of playing Cupid, leaving them alone together, shooing others away when they were on the couch, and so on and so forth. Jacob and Bella both found it to be funny, and decided to just laugh it off rather then jump at the chance. Bella was still a bit unsure about getting into a relationship with Jacob at the moment, even with all of her new spite for Edward. Ignoring those new facts, just what would going out do to their friendship? It could ruin those safe and easy comforts Bella had grown used to. She didn't want those suddenly disappearing too.

When she got down, she found everyone else – including Jacob – up and ready to go. Where to, she still had no idea. She yawned, scratching her chin. "So where are we going at this ungodly hour?"

Mac merely grinned. "You'll see." Without much else, they got outside and onto their bikes. Bella sat behind Nickey, while Jacob sat behind Tommy. She was freezing and in a terrible mood by the time they actually got to where they were going. When they dismounted their bikes and propped them to the side, Bella was shivering so much that her teeth were chattering. She was soon pulled into a warm hug by Jacob, who rubbed her shoulders. After giving him a nod of thanks, her still adjusting eyes looked up to the building they now stood before. The corner they were looking at was round and circular, with large glass window panes and dark brick surrounding it. Above, Bella read "SAFECO FIELD" in large, white letters. She blinked, suddenly remembering just what it was she was looking at.

"Why are we at Mariners Stadium?" she asked blankly. She looked to Mac, who only gave her a sly smile. Turning to Pike, he signaled for him to go. The Brazilian winked and held up a swiss army knife. The only difference in this particular swiss army knife was that every switch that stuck out was a different key, rather then a blade or a corkscrew. Pike saluted the others and then scampered off into the dark. They waited there for God knows how long, Bella trembling mercilessly from the bitter cold. All the while, she wanted to ask just what it was they were doing there, but she doubted she'd get an actual answer. Finally, the front door opened up, Pike twirling his little trinket between his fingers. "Security cameras off, alarm systems off, lights and snack machines on." He did an over dramatic bow as they entered into the wide, spacious lobby, their footsteps echoing against the walls. Pike turned on a few lights as they all headed downstairs towards the locker rooms. Bella fell her stomach churn.

"U-uh," she said nervously. "I don't think we should be in here." An obvious statement, but she felt the need to say it. "Let's just go home..."

"Seriously," said Jacob with a frown, "what are we doing here? If we get arrested, I'm killing you in your sleep."

Mac waved the concerns aside. "Just relax and have a little fun for once, yeah?" They walked into the locker room, Mac switching on the light and grabbing a bat and a few base balls. One by one, a few others grabbed handfuls of two or three in each paw. Jacob and Bella had absolutely no idea what was happening. They hopped out of the dugout and into the field. It was a huge plot of green and brown, white chalked lines faded from a recent game. The dirt had yet to be re-combed for the next day, and a few pieces of trash were lingering here and there. Bella could spot a few television cameras here and there, a sea of dark blue seats all around them as their backdrop. The large cover was on, but Pike had turned on the overhead floodlights, the brightness reminding Bella of the underground world she was taken to just a week or so ago. Mac walked up to home plate, tapping his shoes with the base ball bat. As he began to practice swinging, the others started running out into the field. Suddenly, Jacob seemed to get it.

"Oh!" he said, blinking. "The moon's at waxing gibbous isn't it...? They must have a lot of energy..." Bella stared at him, confused. "Oh, um... Well you know the moon cycle, right? Well a waxing moon is just before a Full... Usually, werewolves have a bunch of pent up energy just before a full moon. They're at their lowest point at a new moon." Jacob frowned. "Still, this is going a bit overboard just to release some pent up energy..."

"PLAY BALL!" came Mac's howl. In a swift movement, he tossed up a baseball and swung the bat as quickly, knocking it straight out into the field. Bella watched as the wolves began to run around, leaning forward enough to actually use all fours in the action, chasing after the ball. Tommy leapt into the air, swiping it before it reached the wall. With a resounding "crack!", Mac hit another one. It sored into left center, Nickey being the one to catch it this time. He continued to do this with the rest of his ammo, Bella finding herself grinning broadly at the game. Or lack there of, anyway. When he was out of baseballs, Mac tossed the bat aside and broke down the line for first base. Bella had to block her eyes as dirt was kicked up from his heels. She quickly pulled her arm back down to watch in awe at his speed.

He, just as the others, ran with his chest parallel to the ground, his hands every now and again acting as front legs. But he didn't stop at first base, he surpassed it all together, sprinting towards the wall. Fluffy was the first one he went against. The large wolf lurch forward to try and tag him out, but Mac quickly side stepped him, causing the man to nearly tumble over. He continued to speed towards the back wall, Reiko now in his path. He looked ready to tag out his leader, when Mac suddenly ran up the padded wall, leaping over Reiko all together. He then bolted for second base, the grass practically parting because of how fast he was going. Standing in the dirt, ready for him, was Pike with his own ball. He took a ready stance, the white object clutched within his hand. As Mac neared him, Pike lurched forward, trying to tap the ball to his arm. But Mac was too quick. He grabbed his other arm and spun poor Pike like a toy top, making him so dizzy that he fell to his rump, his eyes nearly crossed. Making another turn, Mac once more made for the back wall where Tommy was waiting him. The youngest wolf started at him straight on, holding his ball straight out. With a little spring, Mac used Tommy's shoulders as a lift, hopping over the boy and landing firmly on the grass. With a little chuckle, Mac headed for third base. About ten feet away, he stopped.

Nickey stood on base, playfully tossing his ball up and down, a smirk on his lips. A grin curled along Mac's mouth, and as if on cue, the two wolves broke into runs, headed for the large, yellow foul pole. Bella watched, locked in to everything that was happening. Nickey was gaining fast, his hair band slipping from his pony tail and letting his hair fly free. Once reaching the post, Mac jumped and grabbed onto the pole, swinging around like a monkey and landing right over Nickey to head back to home plate. Nickey did the exact same thing, not giving up as easily as the others. Bella began to cheer, as did the rest of them, rooting and hollering at them both. Soon, both he and Nickey were side by side, passing third base in a cloud of dirt and zooming down the base line.

"Go go go go!" Bella yelled, jumping up and down. She watched as Nickey reached forward to tag Mac, when all of the sudden, they collapsed onto one another and started tumbling forward towards home plate. A storm of uprooted dirt encased them, making it impossible for anyone to see what was going on. When it finally cleared, she saw Mac, laying face up along home plate, Nickey pinning him with all fours, the base ball clutched between his teeth. He truly looked like a dog that had tackled his master. Mac coughed a bit, dirt smeared all over his face and arms. He looked up and smiled, as Nickey did the same against the base ball.

"You still didn't tap me," he pointed out. Lifting one brow, Nickey opened his mouth just a bit wider, letting the ball drop onto Mac's chest. He grinned.

"Out."

The whole lot of them, even Bella and Jacob, burst out laughing. Nickey hopped to his feet and helped up Mac as well, the two dusting each other off. "You know I always let you win," he joked.

"Sure you do," said Nickey with a nod. The rest of the pack trotted in and gathered around their alpha and his second-in-command, congratulating the both of them on a good game. Mac nodded and then turned to Jacob, who had come over with Bella as well.

"Say... why don't you join us there, mate?" The others agreed, nodding and turning to the shifter.

"Oh me?" said Jacob. "No, I'm not too good at baseball..."

"Ah, come on." Mac handed him the bat. "I'll pitch. Pike, Reiko and Tommy can play bases, Fluffy and Nickey can be outfielders. Bella, you can be the referee if you want. Or did you want to hit, too?"

She laughed. "I'd rather not," she said. For one thing, she'd probably just end up hurting herself, and for another, how could she be expected to play against super-humans? Non human super-humans, at that. "I'll be the ref. Sure."

So, they all took their positions. Jacob went up to bat, twirling it around to get a feeling for it. Bella stayed off to the side, so as not to get hit by however fast Mac threw it. Winding up on the mound, Mac pelted the ball straight for the batter's box. Jacob swung quickly – and missed it. Pike snickered, holding his hand over his mouth. With a smile himself, Mac picked up another ball. Jacob got a bit more ready this time, and when Mac threw it a second time, Jacob actually hit it. Unfortunately, he fowled it off to the right. So, Mac picked up a third ball. Three times seemed to be the charm as Jacob whacked the ball straight down center field. He ran to first base while Fluffy fumbled with the tiny base ball. By the time he threw it to Pike, Jacob was already headed towards second. He left second base just as Reiko grabbed the ball from his brother's toss. Half way to third, Jacob skidded to a halt, as Tommy was thrown the ball by Reiko. He turned and tried to head back to second, but stopped when Tommy threw the ball back to Reiko. Soon, the two ran Jacob into a corner, and finally tapped him out. Amidst their laughter, they all came together, ready to take on another odd game of theirs. However, their fun was interrupted by a shout from above.

"Hey!" came a voice. A chubby guard stood on the second story above the field, waving his flashlight around. "You're not s'posed to be in here! Who are you kids?! I'm calling the cops!"

The wolves looked at one another and then smiled in sync. Without a second thought, Nickey and Mac rushed up through the stands, heading straight for the guard. The fat man let out a cry of fright and was quickly carried out of sight. The others made their way through the dugout and up to the second floor. Bella watched as they tied the guard up into a swirling chair with electrical cords, before stuffing his round head into a large foam finger. He shook and raved, trying to get the ling off of his head, but the wolves just laughed.

"Come on," said Mac. "Looks like the game's over. Let's get outta here, mates." So, they all headed outside. Bella frowned as they got onto their bikes. She didn't like the treatment of that guard, and decided to take the issue up with Nickey.

"Couldn't you guys have just ran away?" she asked as she got on behind him. "I mean... tying him up, that was just... unnecessary, wasn't it?"

Nickey turned to give her the helmet. "Trust me, Bella," he began. "Most packs wouldn't have let that guy live." Bella stopped to realize this before putting on her helmet and grabbing onto Nickey's waist. Before she knew it, they were once again off and headed home.

I figured the baseball scene would work better with a pack of wolves then a family of vampires. Mainly because my pack acts more like a family then my Cullens. Speaking of which, don't worry. _He'll_ be back in a little bit.

Leave those lovely reviews! Until next time!

~T.


	16. The Lonely Wolf

Hey everyone! Great going on that review flow! Just what I like to see! So then, on to the next chapter. To answer your question, girlobsessed, yes, we do get to see them at a full moon. But not for a while.

**Sixteen: The Lonely Wolf**

**T**wo nights after their little baseball game, Bella found that she couldn't get to sleep. Her thoughts were plagued with the vision of that hunter. Time and time again, she insisted that Mac at least be worried. But he didn't seem the least bit concerned, proclaiming that there was no need to be worried. What was one hunter against a pack of wolves? Not to mention that there were others who went about the city as well. Though it was true that different packs didn't always get along – Sam's pack, for example – one wolf would help out another from pure instinct. So they were bound to be safe. Still, Bella was certain that she wouldn't see the last of that mysterious hunter. After rolling around in Mac's bed for a time, she got up and stretched, heading to the window. She suspected the moon would be full by the end of the month. Again, she wondered what they would look like. She imagined Jacob in his wolf form. Strangely enough, she somewhat wished that he would transform more. She wondered how soft his fur was. While thinking about it, she rubbed her fingertips together. She imagined it being something along the lines of silky cat fur. But softer, for some reason.

After staring off into space for quite some time, she felt an urge for a snack. She wouldn't take too much; she didn't want to horde all the food that Nickey had bought for all of them. Just enough to get her back to sleep. With a yawn and an itchy eye, she put on her bathrobe and headed down the steps into the main part of the make shift home. When she opened the door, she paused. Mac sat at the counter, a bottle of beer half drained beside his elbow. An unlit cigarette hung from his lips as he stared off into space. He looked incredibly depressed about something. It didn't suit him. In fact, with the way he was always smiling or cracking jokes, it was a bit upsetting to see him with such a long face. Bella wasn't sure if he saw her, and was planning to just sneak back upstairs, before he turned his yellow green eyes towards her.

"You can come in, ya know..."

Embarrassment shot through her, but said nothing. With an uncertain step, she walked over into the kitchen area. She felt as though Mac needed time to himself, and she was intruding on it. Keeping her eyes averted, she headed towards the fridge and got herself a glass of milk. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the flame of the lighter snap on, and soon touching the end of the cigarette he held between his lips. The mystery surrounding Mac came back to Bella's mind. Why was it that he hardly ever explained anything? Why, when she and Nickey were at the store, did the other wolf refuse to tell Mac's story, but had no problem proclaiming his and the others' own? Was he hiding something? Something in his past he didn't want others to know... That seemed obvious. His motives were hazy at best, and Bella's curiosity suddenly overcame her. She slowly took a cookie as well and turned to Mac, who was still staring blankly at the wall beside him. She stared at her snack and then sat across from him.

"You... really shouldn't smoke." He shifted his unreadable gaze towards her. "It's bad for your health..."

A grim smile curled around Mac's lips. "So's a lota things," he remarked.

"That's true..." She watched as he took a drag and puffed out of the side of his mouth. No doubt in consideration for her so as not to blow smoke in her face. The rest of it escaped through his nose. Keeping the cigarette between two fingers, he took a swig of beer. He caught her eye and she looked away, taking a bite of her cookie. He let out a low laugh.

"All right there, love," he started, "what's on yer mind?"

"Oh, um..." She shifted uncomfortably. How could she say "I was thinking about you" without sounding as though she was flirting or creepy? It was a difficult task indeed. She sipped a bit of her milk and turned back to him. "Um... did you know that Nickey was an only child?" She wasn't quite sure where that little fact came from, but it was the only thing she could think to say.

First, Mac gave her a strange look before cracking in a bit of a laugh. "Aye, I knew that." He sipped a bit more of his alcohol and set it back down.

Bella stared at her milk. "I'm one too," she added. He merely chuckled a second time and nodded in agreement. Her finger ran along the edge of the glass. She was nervous, but her curiosity overpowered that feeling. Carefully, she continued to speak. "What... what about you?" She looked up to see his reaction. "Did you grow up with any brothers or sisters?"

Slowly, Mac's smile faded. His eyes drifted from hers and he stared at the fridge instead, his jaw tightening. Bella instantly wished she didn't say anything. But she remained there, still eager to hear about his past. "Yes," he said finally. "Me younger brother... He was my best mate, actually..." A rueful smile came to his face. "We used to do everything together. Taught him how to handle his first drink." Bella smiled a bit at this, though she couldn't help but detect the incredibly sad undertone of the conversation.

"Where is he now?" she asked quietly.

He took another drag of his cigarette and then snubbed it out, despite it being only half used. "Back in Ireland," he said simply. They stared at one another. Bella didn't have to ask what happened. He explained it before she could, anyway. He turned to his brown bottle and tapped at it, starting to conjure up old memories. "Tell me, love... do you know how wolves are treated there?" Bella shook her head no. He nodded somberly. "We... ah... ain't really thought of in high respects...

"I was young then... maybe no older then you. Darbie and I were headed back from the pub late one night... It was cold that night. God was it cold... I'll never forget that for as long as I live..."

It was two thirty in the morning, and not another soul was out that night. The full moon shone above the Earth, undisturbed by clouds or stars. It was just the moon, surrounded by nothing but deep, dark black. The silver light misted against the little city of Waterford, Ireland. It was a fitting name, as water surrounded a good portion of the city, it being right on the coast. Along the old, cobble stone streets resting near the shore, two figures drunkenly made their way down the road. They clung to one another, staggering and laughing merrily. One of them had bright ginger hair and green eyes, with a wide, charming smile. The other had a tuft of black on his head, with blue eyes to contrast against the green of his brother's. However, they both had the same pale skin, the same handsome features, even the same dimples on their cheeks with they smiled. The younger of the two – the dark haired one – let out a low whistle.

"Ah Mac-o!" he sang, lifting his hand to the sky. "Ain't it such a beauuuutiful night?"

"Aye, Darbie, aye!" Mac didn't seem quite as drunk as Darbie did, but he was tipsy none the less. He laughed as his younger sibling nearly toppled over himself. They were about two years apart, Mac at a well developed twenty years, while Darbie was a budding eighteen. The two continued to walk home, singing tunes and swaying back and forth. The large stone buildings around them, some gathering moss, made their voices echo, keeping them company during the cold night. Mac shivered and brought his jacket closer to his body. His breath was forming fog by this point. "Oy... 'ow much money we got?"

"Mmm..." Darbie took out a few notes and stared at them. "Bout forty Euros..."

"Might be 'nuff fer a room fer the night," said Mac with a nod. He wobbled slightly before regaining his balance. "Dunno if we should er not... We may not get home..."

Darbie nodded, stuffing the money into his pocket with a huff. Mac looked about, trying to spot a motel that they could quickly check into for the night, when Mac spotted a neon sign across the way. Lugging his brother towards it, they began to head towards the little inn, when a shock of paranoia traveled up Mac's spine. He stopped a few feet away from the alley and looked about him. An unnerving feeling just came over the young man, making him double check just what was around them. With the heavy shadows from the night, it was hard to decipher everything that was there. His pause annoyed his younger brother, causing him to tug on his arm.

"Oy...!" he slurred. "C'mon, Mac! What's wrong?"

Mac merely frowned. "Darbie... have ya ever... got the feelin' that you were bein' watched?"

He merely snorted in laughter at the question. "Yer seein things, Mac-o!" He laughed a bit more and swayed to and fro, whistling. Still, Mac refused to move. Things were too quiet, too still... paranoid or not, Mac refused to go any farther. Darbie shoved him off, cursing a bit. "Bloody idiot." He began to wobble towards the alley way, before stopping. Knocked out of his daze, Mac jogged a bit to keep up with him, trying not to trip and fall into a garbage can. He couldn't even remember how many pints he had that night. However, he stopped after nearly colliding with Darbie, who stopped walking mere inches away from the alley. "Awwe...!" he cooed. "Look, Mac-o! Issa lil' doggie!" He pointed towards the darkness of the alley way. Within the shadows, Mac saw something move. It was large and ridden with fur. Every once and a while, its eyes would shine with reflected light.

"A dog...?" It certainly was a possibility. But the more he looked at it, the less likely the possibility became. It was much, much larger for one thing. And before long, Mac could hear a rolling growl not unlike that of a wolf or bear. He felt panic seize him and he pulled Darbie back by his shoulders. The younger frowned.

"Quit that, Mac!" He struggled, but Mac wouldn't let him go. He stopped, however, when the thing in the shadows began to approach them, the growling intensifying. The color out of Darbie's face drained, as did Mac's. They began to back away as the creature came closer. Without thinking, Mac turned and pushed Darbie away.

"Go!" he said desperately. "Get home! Run!" Darbie took off without a second thought. Mac then turned and ran the other way. Hopefully, whatever it was would follow him instead of Darbie. As he ran, he could hear a thunder of padded feet chasing him. He practically felt hot, rolling breath against his neck, which was perspiring cold sweat. He ran down a slanted road until he found himself stuck at a dead end. Terrified, he looked right and left, trying to find some other way of escape. His thoughts were interrupted as a loud howl shook the very foundations of his soul. He quickly turned to face the monster that hunted him. A flash of teeth gleamed against the pale moonlight, heading straight for him.

And then, darkness.

When next he woke, Mac found himself in a hospital bed. He first heard the faint beeping of a heart monitor, and whispered voices with familiar tenors. Slowly, he opened his eyes. All around him were the blurred faces of his family. His mother, his father, little cousin Abby, his uncle Luke, his grandparents, and his brother all staring down at him. He blinked, trying to move his arms. They were heavily gauzed. He could only assume that he was pumped to the tooth with morphine. With how much his body was in bandages, he must have gone through a terrible ordeal. The memory of the attack flooded through his mind and he shuttered. He must have hit his head, and was thankful he did not remember the pain.

"How are you feeling?" asked his mother gently.

Mac opened his mouth to speak and found his voice scratched. He cleared his throat. "I'm ok," he said weakly. "Still alive..." He smiled as his mother pet his face. But she did not return the gesture. Slowly, she took her hand away and turned to the window, wiping off a few tears. Mac suddenly felt guilt. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but hadn't the heart to. His father squeezed his wife's shoulder and turned back to him.

"Do ya know what got ya, son?" he asked gravely. Blankly, Mac shook his head, blinking. The sound of the heart monitor was the only one in the room until his father spoke again. "It was a wolf, boy. A... a werewolf."

Mac's chest constricted in fear. The stories he heard when he was a little boy, all of them came flooding into his mind. "B-but..." He shifted slightly in his bed. "But... they're not... real..."

" 'Fraid they are, boy," said uncle Luke in a gentle voice. His five year old daughter clung to her father's leg, staring up at Mac with huge, green eyes. "And you've been bitten. Several times now."

A lump in his throat stopped Mac from swallowing. He tried to calm himself down. He began to shake his heavy head. "No... no, it can't... It's not..." Darbie squeezed his hand, but could not look at him.

"Mac..." his father began. "We love ya, lad... we really do..."

"Sugaring it up won't help," his grandfather grunted. His grandmother remained silent, staying by his grandfather's side. "Go on. Tell him. Or I will."

"T-tell me what?" Mac's voice was cracking as tears welled in his eyes. "What? What!?" Again, all that filled the room was the repetitive heart monitor. Finally, his father took a breath and continued.

"We... can't be around ya anymore..."

If Mac had been standing, he would have fallen over. How could he respond to such a statement? He gaped like a waterless fish, tears finally breaking through his lashes and falling down his face. "We can get ya place fer you ta live... But it can't be in Waterford."

"N...no... No, dad..." He whimpered, trying to plead his case. His entire family was abandoning him? Mac had always grown up close to them. They had always been so tightly knit. They spent summers and Christmases and Halloweens together... He could remember when little Abby was born. He was the one who came up with the name. He even insisted on helping raise her when his aunt Lena died. Why? Why was this happening? He had done no wrong. He had never harmed any of them. They were always, _always_ there when he needed them. So why...? Why...?

Slowly, his father leaned forward, and gave Mac a hug. He could tell the man was crying as well. He pulled back. When he pulled away, he couldn't even look his son in the eye. His mother was next, kissing Mac's cheek. Abby gave him a hug as well, as did Luke. His grandparents left an envelope of money on the table beside him. One by one, they all left. All except Darbie.

With tearful eyes, Mac gripped Darbie's hand tightly. "You... you ain't gonna leave too, are ya?" He gave him a desperate smile. "Please... please Darbie... Don't leave me..." Slowly, his brother's eyes met his own.

Without a word, he stood, and left his brother's bedside...

...Bella didn't say a word after that story. To have his own family – the whole family – to just... abandon him. It must have hurt. Terribly. Mac took a last swig of his beer and rubbed his tired eyes. "Anyway," he continued. "I lived in Cork fer a while... But it didn't work out... If anyone ever found out, they would then either move or ignore me. No one wanted me there. So I came here." He stared at the brown glass in his hand. "That was five years ago. As soon as I stepped off the plane, Nickey and I ran into each other... Pretty lucky, considerin'. Ya see, the longer a wolf goes without companionship, the more insane they get. Now that I got my own pack, we can all control ourselves just as well transformed as human. That wolf that attacked me didn' have no pack... So, every full moon, he was reduced to nothin' more then a bloodthirsty animal. If I never got on that plane, I mighta become the same thing."

She turned her eyes down to the cookie and milk in front of her. Pushing them away for now, she reached over and squeezed his hand in a sisterly fashion. She smiled. "But you didn't," she reminded him. "You have a family again, right? A family that loves you through thick and thin." Mac gave her a little smile and squeezed back.

"Right... well go on ta bed there, love. I'll see you in the morning." With a nod, Bella finished up her snack and left the bottom floor. She took only two steps before she remembered that she forgot to tell Mac goodnight. She turned around to do so, only to stop in her tracks.

Mac was sitting where he had been earlier, but now, Nickey stood behind him, his thin arms wrapped around Mac's shoulders. He embraced him warmly, their cheeks pressed together. Bella watched silently through the crack of the door. Nickey said something in a low voice, causing Mac to smile even wider. The two males turned their heads towards one another and kissed. Bella felt a bit embarrassed watching any more, so she headed back upstairs and tucked herself in. She smiled into the darkness. She was glad Mac had found happiness again in Nickey and the others. If anyone, he deserved it.

With that in mind, Bella curled up and fell asleep instantly.

There we go! Mac's backstory. Leave those wonderful reviews!

~T.


	17. To Lay Down with Wolves

Hey, just to give you guys a heads up. Starting November, I'm going to enter into a contest where I have to create a novel within thirty days. So I may not post as regularly as I do now. Thanks again for the reviews! Oh, and in case I don't update by then – HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Oh, and I just noticed that I named Sam the werewolf after Sam the shifter -.- that was a total accident... but whatever.

**Seventeen: To Lay Down with Wolves**

**T**he sounds of the underground world seemed to form together to create one large song. The motorcycles hummed and buzzed jubilantly, while the chants and cheering of the wolves around them added to the melody. Bella had to admit, it was easy to get caught up in this kind of atmosphere. She cheered, she shouted, she laughed and jumped. It was as though she was caught up in some exciting torrent of emotion and adrenaline. She even caught herself fantasizing herself on one of those bikes, playing Tipsy. Of course, she wasn't about to jump on and see what happens. Not unless she wanted her brains to be scooped up with a spatula. This night seemed more electric then the others before it. It was getting closer and closer to the full moon, which was due in about two and a half weeks. And so, in effect, the wolves themselves began to grow more and more restless. Mac's gang in particular had a hard time getting to sleep of late, making Bella quite irritable in the mornings. She watched as the Tipsy players spun around the empty depression, many of them getting knocked to the ground or tumbling along with their bikes. After one particularly exciting game, Bella caught something out of the corner of her eye. It was Nickey, speaking silently to Jacob, his arm around the shifter's shoulders. It was a curious sight, but she was drawn away to Tommy, who caught her attention with a small handful of cooked steak bites.

"Want some?" he offered. Bella smiled and popped a couple in her mouth. The meat bar wasn't packed with some cheap mystery meat for sure. She had only had a select few items on the menu, but what she did eat was top notch product. Some of it wasn't even beef or pork. She wanted to know, but at the same time, decided not to pry. She didn't want to know that she was eating horse meat. They turned to the Tipsy players. One of the wolves were coming out with a bit of a limp, but seemed to be ok otherwise. Mac clapped along with a few others when he signaled that he was ok. Tommy licked at his fingers when all the meat was done. "So, you gonna be here when we transform? Nickey will probably want to give you a piggy back ride..."

"Hm?" Bella hadn't given it much thought since the other night when she wondered about their appearance. "I guess so. Mac said that you guys can control yourselves during a full moon, so sure. I want to see what you all look like."

Tommy nodded in agreement. "We have a lot of fun on a full moon. Sometimes we race each other."

"Sounds great..." She looked over and saw that Nickey was now pushing Jacob towards her. He seemed nervous, as though wanting to back out of something. But Nickey wasn't the kind of person to just back down. Especially if he wanted someone to do something for him. Finally, Jacob was pushed just enough. He cleared his throat and headed towards them. He and Tommy exchanged a nod before he turned to Bella.

"Hey, um... Can I talk to you for a second?"

A bit confused, Bella nodded, the two heading away from the crowd for some privacy. She began to grow worried. Was something the matter? "What's wrong?" she asked instantly. He laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh... nothing." He proceeded to play with the ends of his hair, stalling for some unknown reason. "So um... how are things?"

Bella fought the urge to laugh at such an awkward question. "Fine..." she began slowly. "Jacob... what's going on? Do you have something you want to tell me?"

Jacob cleared his throat and smiled. "Well, Nickey's under the impression that I need to ask you out on an official date. Not just a regular dinner as friends."

Bella felt her heart shoot up into her throat at the statement. "O-oh?" She contained herself and put on a little smile. Her head, meanwhile, was whizzing at hundreds of miles an hour. Was Jacob really going to press for it this time? Was he going to tread those feared, uncharted waters between them? Bella had been thinking about it recently, too. But was she really ready to get into a relationship again? When she thought about it in retrospect, she really wasn't giving Jacob the fairness that she gave Edward. Within weeks after being cheated on by Chris, she and Edward practically had their tongues down each other's throat. True, the situation was entirely different. Jacob and Bella had been friends for ages now. Who knew what dating would do to them? She always heard the tell tale stories of friendships that suffered without any hope of revival. And yet, there were also those who wound up truly happy with one another. Would it be worth the risk? She tried to think the choices over logically. Jacob loved her unconditionally – whether it be romantically or platonically. She loved him as well, if only platonically. In fact, lately he had been growing more and more attractive to her. She could remember those thoughts that passed through her mind that night the hunter showed up. She would be lying to say that those thoughts didn't make it through her mind a second time. In all honesty, Jacob had always been attractive, even if only a little bit when they were younger. He always had a charming smile on his face, and as the years passed, his body began to grow more and more firm and developed. She began to consider all these factors, weigh all her options. In the end, she found that she decided on a choice.

What could be the harm?

She shifted where she stood, putting her hands behind her back. She didn't know what she would do if he tried to take one of them in his own. "And?" she asked, begging him to continue.

Jacob ran his fingers through his hair. "Well... You know how I feel about you all ready." He tapped his fingertips together in a bit of a nervous fashion. "Maybe... I mean, if you're over him by now..."

Silently, she reached over and took his hands. "Jacob..." He blinked in a bit of surprise. "Sure... Why not? Let's give it a try."

His face brightened. "Really?" he said, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I mean... Are you sure?"

Bella nodded. "Absolutely. I've always held you close, Jacob... Why not? Besides, we already get along really well..."

Jacob practically laughed out loud. He pulled her in a little bit closer, the warmth of his hands so friendly and familiar to her. "I'm so glad," he said truthfully. "I mean... After I told you last year, I really didn't think there'd be a chance... Especially after he left. I thought I'd just need to be there for you as a friend."

"And you have," she assured him. "You really have... But it's not fair of me to just use you without giving you anything in return, right?"

Jacob's smile faded a bit. "Bella... I don't want you to do this just because you think you owe me – " He stopped the minute Bella leaned up to kiss him. At first, he acted with surprise. Truth be told, she was a little shocked herself. But the two quickly melted into it, his large hands wrapping around her body. This kiss... it was so much different then the ones she shared with Edward. It was a warm, friendly, gentle kiss. It had passion, but it was hidden away. As they embraced, she felt the gentle brush of his hair on her cheeks. Finally, she pulled away.

"I want to because I want to," she said simply. "That's all. Really." He gave her a smile and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"All right... If you say so."

They headed back to the crowd – hand in hand – and watched as a new game of Tipsy began to unfold. She cheered and hollered as usual, only this time, she did it in the arms of her new... boyfriend of sorts. She leaned into him, rolling her eyes at a few jokes that Tommy threw their way. As the hours passed, Bella began to grow tired. She yawned, her eyes itching. Noticing this, Nickey passed the word along to his alpha. Mac noticed the sleepy human and smiled. "All right, boys. Let's call it a night."

"Awe. Leaving so soon?"

Blinking, they turned to see the sly face of Sam, the wolf who attempted to call out Nickey for being gay. Mac cocked an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest. "And what would you want there, mate?" Bella could see a protective light in his eye. Though they had humiliated this pack in every sense of the word, Bella got the feeling that Mac wasn't satisfied after Sam had called Nickey a fag.

"Oh, nothing, nothing." Sam grinned, his other wolves smirking behind him. "We were just wondering... Why call it such an early night?"

"None of your business." Mac sniffed and began to walk towards the exit. Sam moved into his path. Mac glared at him. "Move aside..."

"No, I don't think I will," said Sam, looking lazily at his nails.

Mac growled dangerously. "Ya want me to plow through ya instead?"

The two alphas locked eyes. Mac gave him a death defying stare, while Sam simply returned the gesture. Finally, after a long, uncomfortable silence, Sam stood out of the way, bowing almost. Mac gave him a suspicious look and then motioned for the others to follow. They did, but Bella could feel the other wolves' eyes on them the entire way. They got onto their bikes, Bella with a terrible feeling in the pit of her gut. Nickey noticed that she held on tighter then usual.

"What's wrong, sweetness?" he asked gently.

Bella shivered a bit, shifting. "Something bad's gonna happen..." she said in a soft voice.

Nickey merely smiled, handing her a helmet. "Don't worry Bella. You've got a bunch of strong wolves protecting you, remember?"

Bella gave her a desperate look. "Nickey, I'm serious!"

"So am I. Don't worry so much. You'll turn into an old woman by the time your twenty." putting on his own headgear, the pack began to move away from the supposed bar. Bella stared out in front of the gang, watching as the little strips of yellow sped beneath them, one after the other. The moon, nearing a full cycle, hung above them, guiding their way. Half way home, however, Bella spotted something up the road. It seemed as though the wolves sensed the same thing, as the bikes all came to a halt. While they idled, they took off and pushed the visors up on their helmets to get a better look. Bella felt fear entangle with her very body, making her close to nauseous.

A blockade of hunters were waiting for them, their guns pointed right in their direction.

Sorry I have to leave you guys at a cliff hanger, but I've got such a bad headache...

Leave those reviews! Homework: Do you think Sam sold them out?

~T.


	18. Hunters

Hey again everyone. So, the novel's going fine... I figure I'd update now while I'm at a break. If you're curious about what I'm writing, go to [www . nanowrimo . org / eng / user / 540896] (no spaces or brackets, of course). Eventually, the book is going to be available for download as a torrent file.

As for the homework: no, he didn't sell them out, he just knew about it and decided not to tell them.

PS – this is going to be a short chapter, but that's because I have a great ending for this one.

**Eighteen: Hunters**

**B**ella could hardly move. She clung to Nickey's back, watching fearfully as the hunters mimicked their stillness. Mac looked at the rest of his pack, who gave no objection. Slowly, he got off of his bike. The rest followed suit. Gripping Jacob's arm, Bella followed the wolves as they began to walk towards the brigade. Would they die now? Would this be their final night alive? She gripped her cell phone in her pocket tightly, ready to dial the police. She was certain that they wouldn't do much good, but at least they would cause enough of a distraction to get away. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as they made their way closer. Finally, they were a mere yard away from one another. Pushing out the kickstand for his bike, Mac took off his helmet and walked forward. A hunter – Bella assumed the leader – walked forward as well, his gun at the ready. Tucking the helmet beneath his arm, Mac clicked his tongue.

"Is this really what we've sunk to, Julian?"

The hunter merely smiled. In the light of the motorcycles, Bella suddenly recognized the head hunter. It was the same man who shadowed her and Nickey in the supermarket, and who appeared during her and Jacob's date. She clung to the shifter's waist as Julian began to speak.

"It seems so, wolf," he said bluntly. "I've been following your pack for years now. Never thought you'd add a shifter to your pack." His eyes darted to Jacob and Bella, a rumbling coming from Jacob's chest. He turned his gaze back to Mac and let his rifle rest against his shoulder. "What, you thought by hiding behind a little human girl, you and your pups would stay safe?"

"Who's hiding?" said Mac simply. "Are we hiding, lads?" A round of laughter came from the wolves, who didn't seem the least bit worried. How could they take this so lightly? Though with the familiar way Mac and Julian spoke, it seemed as though they've had several encounters like this before. Mac took a step closer, grinning. "So what now then? You and your little play mates gonna kill us yet?"

"Oh come now. You know we much prefer the thrill of the hunt." Both men spoke quietly, though Bella could sense a type of hostility that was only found between predator and pray. What really confused her, however, as that it was hard to tell who was who. Mac and Julian began to stare each other down, a tension in the air so thick it could have been cut with a knife. Mac made a bit of a move, Julian twitching in response. His fingers were just dying to squeeze the trigger on his riffle. No doubt loaded with silver bullets. Julian then slowly then pulled out a pocket watch and flipped it open.

"You have two minutes."

"More then we need."

In a rush, everyone got back on their bikes and started them up again. Nickey pulled Bella into the seat behind him and revved up. The hunters actually parted, allowing them to drive off. They sped past the hunters, the wind feeling even more powerful then before. After a minute or so of riding, Bella jumped as a bullet ricochetted against the pavement. She cried out and turned her head. The hunters were close on their heals, riding in heavy cars and wielding dangerous guns. She clung to Nickey's waist tighter as the wolves zig zagged to avoid the bullets. They started coming to busier streets. In a sudden move, all six of the bikes went different directions. Bella watched as the other five vanished into the night. She turned to Nickey, panicked.

"What about the others!?" she called at the top of her lungs.

"Relax! We've done this before!" Nickey suddenly skidded to a halt, nearly falling over. One of the hunters' hummers drove in front of them, blocking their path. The two vehicles stared each other down. Bella could almost feel Nickey's grin. "Ever played chicken?" he asked, causing the bike to roar. Bella felt even more deep terror grip her.

"No! Nickey, don't!" But there was no stopping him. The wolf howled in excitement and floored it, driving straight for the hummer. The giant car did likewise, the two heading straight for one another. Bella squeaked and pushed her head into Nickey's back, considering leaping from the motorcycle. Suddenly, she felt the bike jerk to the side. She looked just in time to see them elevate onto the back of a car, drive across a wall, and land just behind the hummer perfectly. She could even hear the cries of frustration from the hunters. Nickey shrieked with laughter as he drove off.

"I really got you going, huh?" he said with a bright voice.

"Don't joke about that!" Bella cried. "That was so scary... Ah!" She ducked when she heard even more shots being fired. By this time, the sound of sirens also joined the song and dance. She only hoped they wouldn't start spotting them with a helicopter. Nickey began to weave through the city, laughing at every near miss they encountered. He even darted across red lights to loose their perusers. When he became a little more sturdy in his driving, Bella chose that time to chastise him. "You're going to get us killed!"

"Just trust me!" Nickey responded. "What do you think all those Tipsy games are for anyway!?"

Bella blinked. He had a point there. Practicing staying upright while riding nearly parallel to the floor at a high speed and trying to knock one another off of equally fast motorcycles was good enough rehearsal for something like this. Finally, Bella caught sight of the warehouse, as well as a few other tail lights. Once they stopped moving, Bella hopped off and hugged Jacob, who was just glad she was alive. Mac came in soon after and took off his helmet.

"Grab what you need, but pack light," he told them. "We've got about twenty minutes before they find us. Where can we go?"

Jacob stepped forward. "We can go to my reservation in Forks." Bella suddenly remembered his refusal to return home. She looked at him, curious as to the change of heart. "My dad can house you guys till the hunters move on."

"Good," said Mac. "All right everyone. Grab what ya can carry in a backpack." With that, they scuttled into the warehouse, moving quickly. Bella ran upstairs, throwing as much clothes as she could into her teddy bear backpack. She would just have to come back for the rest later. She packed up her camera and her cellphone charger and her tooth brush and her hair brush. She quickly checked things over to make sure she wasn't leaving anything important behind, when she heard a tap on the window.

She froze. Bella was sure she was hearing things, so she didn't turn around right away. But then the tap came again. Her heart began to pound in a way that had nothing to do with the hunters. That tap was familiar. It wasn't a random branch brushing against the glass pane. It was someone at her windowsill. It had to be. Very slowly, she turned around, her bag dropping from her hands.

Edward Cullen now stared at her from the window ledge.

Drama! Again, sorry this is a short one. But like I said, I'm just updating while I take a break. Leave me those wonderful reviews!

~T.


	19. An Interesting Predicament

Hey everyone... So! Some of you are pissing your pants in joy, others are pissed the fuck off. But not to worry! It won't be that simple. MUAHAHAHHA...*cough*

Oh! Also... if you want to learn more about the book I'm writing for NaNoWriMo, check out my YouTube channel (i'm Tprinces there too) and look up my latest video.

PS – And thanks for the higher review count! That's what I like to see!

**Nineteen: An Interesting Predicament**

**B**ella didn't know what to say, or what to do. She stood there, her mouth agape and her mind blank. Edward was staring back at her. This wasn't a dream or hallucination. He was actually physically there. What was she supposed to do, how should she act? They stared at one another for a long moment, before Edward began to look uncomfortable. Slowly, he waved her to come closer. She did so, mindlessly. Slowly, Edward pried open the old window, smiling timidly at the human girl. "Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked in a soft tone. One might have even thought he was trying to be playful, but Bella remembered the restrictions that vampires possessed. She nodded silently. He gave her an uneasy look. "You... have to say it... remember?"

"Oh..." Her voice was distant, even to herself. With heavy steps, she moved back a bit to give him room. "You can come in..." With a brightening smile, he slipped inside and went for her. For a split second, she felt as though she was about to recoil. But he quickly pulled her into a hug. The ice cold of his body was faintly familiar, but the alien feeling of his skin was far more over powering. It wasn't like the warmth of Jacob, or any of the wolves for that matter. It made her shiver within his grasp. He pulled back, still smiling. His eyes were weak and dark, and his clothes were somewhat torn. He must have traveled for miles on end. By the look of things, he hadn't fed in a while, either.

"I thought I was never going to see you again..." he breathed, the light of the moon bouncing off of his fangs. He cupped his hands to her cheeks, a shock shooting down her entire body. This time, she did actually step out of his hands. His smile began to drop, his sunken eyes showing a hint of worry. Bella swallowed, though her throat was dry, and tried to figure out a way to start.

"Edward..." she croaked. "I thought... I thought you were gone... forever." He took a swift step towards her and once more pulled her into an embrace. It wasn't nearly as shocking as it was the first time.

"I thought so too," he confessed. "But I was able to slip away from Carlisle finally. He's probably gone off after me by now... But I don't know if they'll catch up to me. Jasper's just about the only one who's faster then I am, but he didn't like us leaving in the first place, so he probably won't help much in tracking me down..." He continued to babble on, the words starting to melt together. Bella was lucky she was being held up, or else she might have fallen from how dizzy she felt. It was so shocking, she could barely register each moment as it passed. Finally, she stopped him, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Edward. Just... hang on for a second." She put her hands on her forehead, freezing by this point. Realizing he might have overloaded her, he pulled his hands away, watching her take it in. She took a few calming breaths and looked up. Just when she was ready to sort things out, the door swung open.

"Bella, come on! Let's – !" Jacob froze at the doorway as Bella and Edward both whipped around to see him. Bella felt even more conflicting and inaudible thoughts bombard her brain. Suddenly, Jacob's face twisted harshly as he stormed in. Without warning, he took Bella into his arms, her body thawing after Edward's icy hugs. "What the hell are you doing here, blood sucker?" he growled, his eyes flashing silver.

Edward's expression also took a turn for the sour as he curled his lips above his fangs. "Don't you get me started, flea bag. I had a pretty bumpy ass road, and I'll be damned if you screw it up for me."

"You could have save yourself a trip," Jacob snapped. "Come on, Bella. We have to go quickly."

"Wait, where are you going?" Edward took a few swift steps forward, his hand on her shoulder. He bored into Jacob's eyes defiantly. He took on a look of suspicion. "If you've gotten her into trouble – "

"Oh yes!" said Jacob sarcastically. "Because she was _always_ safe with you!"

Bella couldn't take much more of this. Yanking herself from Jacob's arms, she rushed over and did up her suitcase. She turned to them, shutting her eyes and letting her voice work itself. "Shut up, both of you!" She opened her lids to see both Edward and Jacob staring at her. "We have hunters on our trail. It may be a matter of minutes before they get here, so we have to get going now!"

"Hunters?" Edward turned accusing eye towards Jacob. "You got an explanation, Cujo!?"

"Piss off!" Jacob shot back.

Ignoring the wolf, Edward stepped towards Bella. "Come on. I can run you to Forks faster then you can drive. Just get on my back and I'll..." He trailed off, however, when Bella gave him a hard look.

"I have to make sure that the rest of the pack is safe," she said automatically. Though in truth, there was not much she could do. She supposed because she was a human, the hunters would be less likely to attack them if she was in her company. Other then that small assurance, she was practically useless. At least with vampires, she could always find a sharp piece of wood.

"She's coming with us," Jacob interjected. Edward turned dangerously to him.

"Who's 'us'?" he questioned.

"The pack of werewolves downstairs." Jacob smirked at Edward's obvious distaste. "Oh? What's the matter... don't want to get fleas?"

"Cram it!" He turned back to Bella. "Are you sure? I can get you home in the blink of an eye!"

"I can't go home!" she said quickly. "I don't want dad getting mixed in with all of this... We're all heading to Jacob's reservation. It'll be safer there then here. More protection." Edward seemed to be a bit crestfallen. Just the way she was standing made Bella seem apprehensive around him. She leaned away slightly, her suitcase clutched to her chest as though it were a shield. She could see sadness in his eye.

"Bella... I can protect you..."

"What, you think taring her away from a large group of body guards is going to help?" Jacob walked over and took Bella's hand, leading her to the door. They were just about to head out of sight, when Bella paused. She turned to Edward, who was watching her with a desperate eye.

"You should come with us," she said finally. "If you're alone, the hunters might come after you." She looked between Jacob and Edward, hoping that the two would find some level of agreement, like they did before. After a tense silence, Edward nodded, and the three headed downstairs. Not a moment after Edward stepped into the light of the ground floor, did all movement within the warehouse stop dead. Every single eye turned towards the vampire, some shocked, others angered. Mac was the first to approach the trio.

"An' who the hell's this?" he snapped, gesturing to the Cullen.

"This is Edward," said Bella carefully. "He's... he's my friend." From out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward snap his head to her direction, stupefied that she would deem her "friend."

"Friend, eh?" Mac grunted. "We don't have vampire 'friends' round here. Not even that fuckin' Casper..."

"That was a ghost," said Bella blankly.

"All the same! I ain't havin' no vampire anywhere near my pack!"

Nickey turned his head, the rest of the wolves following suit. Even Edward perked up. They seemed to all hear something that Bella didn't. "Shit..." the Asian swore. "They'll be here any second."

"Mac..." Bella walked forward, taking his arm. "Edward... he can help us. He's... he's really very powerful. He might come in handy if we ever come face to face with those hunters..."

Mac seemed to consider it. The others of the pack shifted uneasily, a few of them antsy from anxiety. Mac turned to Nickey, as though to ask his thoughts. He looked between the door and back to the Irishman. "Oh for the love of God, Mac! We don't have time for this!" Signaling the others to move, they all grabbed their backpacks and duffle bags and scurried out to their bikes. Mac sighed and turned back around. He pointed a finger near Edward's face.

"One mess up," he threatened, "and we give ya to the hunters ourselves." With a growl, Edward slapped his hand away. Mac merely huffed and straightened out his jacket. "Oh, and another thing. You're runnin there." He then shoved his helmet onto his head and stalked outside, Jacob following him. Bella gave Edward one last look before scurrying outside and hopping onto Nickey's back. The wolf was a bit stiffer then normal.

"Your friend, huh?" he asked through his dark helmet.

Bella nodded. "He's nicer then he looks."

A snort came from behind the glass. "Oh sure he is. Right before he takes a bite out of you." The bikes all started around the same time, a grate roar of machines sounding through the night. The seven motorcycles then drove through the night, Edward running along side them.

Again, another short chapter... Just didn't want to leave you guys with a cliff for two long... Leave those wonderful reviews!

~T.


	20. The Shifters of La Push

Hey everyone... ugh... I do not feel well -.-; Sorry if this took a while... been busy. Thanks again for those lovely reviews!

Also, to answer a question: Hunters track vampires just as much as they track wolves and shifters. Holy water, stakes, silver, and so on... Just think of Buffy.

**Twenty: The Shifters of La Push**

**T**hey were lucky enough to get to the reservation before the sun rose that day because of Edward. Bella, as tired as she was, couldn't stop her mind from going back and forth between the vampire and Jacob. Would things go back to normal? No, they couldn't possibly. For one, it wouldn't be fair to Jacob, and for another thing, Bella wasn't even sure she _wanted_ Edward anymore. With all of the thoughts that had crossed her mind during his absence, the thoughts of his abandonment seemed to be the most bitter. And yet at the same time, here he was, defying the head of his family to return to her. Part of her could not help but feel some kind of pride knowing that. It disgusted her in a way. The band of wolves finally were nearing the reservation when Bella realized how incredibly tired she was. She barely kept her eyes open as she leaned into Nickey's back, keeping herself from falling off. She spotted Edward through her tinted visor. He was still running along side them, not complaining, not sweating or showing weakness. Even more convoluted and confusing thoughts pulsated through her mind, and she shut her eyes tightly, trying to protect her brain for now. When they got to La Push, Jacob told them all to wait outside while he spoke with his father. Bella remained on Nickey's bike, the vibration of the idling machine nearly rocking her to sleep. She watched as he slipped into the house, vanishing from sight. All was silent among the wolves. Edward seemed to be ignoring them, and they did the same. Bella simply chose to remain where she was until Jacob returned. When he did, he told Mac's pack that they could make themselves at home in the large garage beside the house. It was big enough for their bikes, and it had quite a few cots to spare. Bella got off in order to allow Nickey to follow the rest of them as they parked inside. This left only Jacob, Edward and Bella standing in front of the large house. She was too afraid to speak. Luckily, she didn't have to.

"You can sleep in the attic," said Jacob stiffly. "There's a bunch of boxes and stuff up there that you can cover yourself with in the daytime."

Edward paused before turning to Bella. "You don't mind that I stay here, do you?" The question had an incredible amount of malice behind it. So much so that it made her take a half step back, as though she were slapped. Wordlessly, she shook her head. Edward then turned to Jacob, who invited him in. After that, he swiftly moved into the house and up the stairs, the sound of the attic door opening and closing. Jacob turned to Bella before walking over to her, taking her hand.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

Bella nodded mutely. "Can I... just have a bed to sleep in? I'm really tired." With a nod, Jacob lead her into the house and then to her usual guest room. It felt smaller then the last time she stayed over, which was during the spring time at school. It felt surreal to be there now. But she little cared. Thanking her dear friend, she moved under the blankets and fell asleep almost instantly.

When she awoke, it was nearing two in the afternoon, and she heard voices down below. She sat up for a moment, her head buzzed and her body feeling like lead. It took her a while to remember what had happened, but soon, she recalled all that transpired the night before. It felt like a strange dream, but being where she was now, she knew it to be real. She got out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Thankfully, she had brought her toothbrush and hairbrush along with her. After changing and making herself presentable, she headed downstairs, rather hungry. The smell of grilled cheese sandwiches made it to her senses. When she got to the kitchen, she noticed the center island was a bit more crowded then usual. Jacob sat at the corner, while both Tommy and Pike sat at his left. Across from them sat two native boys whom Bella recognized from her time spent at La Push. She smiled at them all as she walked into the kitchen. Quil and Embry both smiled back at her. The two were practically attached to each other with how much they were seen together. Quil was a slightly short boy, with beady eyes and small hands. He had short hair with shaggy bangs that hung around his eye line. Embry, on the other hand, was a tall, stretched out male, with large eyes and a swift stride. His black hair was usually kept in a short braid down his slender neck. She sat herself beside Jacob, who handed her a sandwiches.

"How're you doing?" he asked.

"Ok, I guess. At least I got some sleep." She thanked him for the food and began to eat, filling her empty stomach that was just as grateful. Embry nodded.

"Yeah... hunters. That sucks, man."

"We're used to them by now," said Tommy with a shrug. "Still... I wish they'd leave us alone. At least every once and a while."

"Well you should be safe here," Quil interjected. "Hunters don't usually come to shifter territory like this..." He then trailed off, his eyes darting to Bella. "Uh... I mean..."

"Relax," said Jacob. "She knows." Quil seemed a bit relieved and pushed his bangs back from his forehead.

"Good... I was wondering when she'd figure it out." He stopped talking, however, when the sliding glass door of the kitchen opened up. Bella turned to see none other then Sam Uely, along with a girl whom Bella recognized as Emily, Sam's girlfriend. Much like how Quil and Embry were different in body time, so were Sam and Emily. While Sam had a thick, bear like body, Emily had a very graceful, willow-esq figure. She had long black hair, like Sam, though hers reached her mid back. She also had black bangs that covered most of her right face. But Bella knew what she hid. When she was younger, she was attacked by a bear. Only recently did Bella find out that Sam used to have problems controlling his shifter form.

They walked into the kitchen, taking a few seats as well. Jacob didn't bother to make eye contact with his cousin. Emily smiled at two of the guests. "You must be the shifters in Billy's garage." She shook their hands politely. "I'm Emily. This is my boyfriend, Sam." The bear merely nodded, putting a few sandwiches on his plate for them to share.

Pike, who seemed to grow a great interest in the reservation, leaned forward, smiling. "Wow... so you guys are all Quileute shifters?"

"Not exactly," said Emily. "I'm half Cheyenne. My dad was raised in South Dakota and the moved to La Push when he was younger, where he met my mom. It's the reason I'm the only one who can turn into a horse."

"A horse shifter, really?!" Pike grew over excited. Had his wolf tail been out, it no doubt would have been wagging. "Wow... I knew a couple of shifters when I was making my way through Mexico with my brother, but... I never saw a horse shifter before."

Emily laughed lightly. "A mustang, more accurately. You don't really find a lot of those in Washington though, so I sort of stick out."

"I'll bet..." Bella could almost see the stars in his eyes as he propped his chin in his hands, smiling dreamily at the girl. Sam frowned at the wolf, but said nothing. He didn't seem the petty jealous type. Turning to Jacob, he began to speak.

"How long do you plan on staying this time." His tone was slightly sarcastic, but it had a more serious quality to it then anything. Jacob merely shrugged.

"As long as I want," he said simply. "What? I can't leave my own home now?"

Sam narrowed his eyes. "You know damn well what you can and can't do. And quite frankly, you've been too reckless for your own good. You have got to start accepting responsibility."

"I'll accept it on my own terms, all right?" The air became a bit tenser as Jacob flashed his angry, silver eyes in Sam's direction. "Last time I checked, you weren't my father."

"I might as well be," Sam snapped back. "You get away with far too much because Uncle Billy is too proud of you."

"So what if he is?" Jacob retorted. "You said it yourself. I'm the _Mai-coh Mudjekee'wis_, remember?"

"And yet, you couldn't care less about the duties of the chosen one. You're out having fun with a pack of stray dogs and a human girl."

Tommy frowned. "So what if he is?" he said, getting defensive of his friend. "What's wrong with a little fun?"

"It's useless," said Sam with a sniff. "He needs to be focusing on his responsibilities."

"Look, I never asked to be this, ok?!" Jacob practically shouted. "I never wanted to be the _Mai-cho_ in the first place! So quite harping on me about what I have to do, because I don't want to!"

"Just because you're a wining teenager doesn't mean you have the power to choose your own fate!" Sam roared back. "You need to learn some respect!"

In a fit of rage, Jacob slammed his fist on the table and shot up. "Blow it out your ass, Sam!"

Sam also bolted to his feet. "Respect your elders!"

"Oh fuck off!" Jacob spat. "You're not even that old! You're twenty two!"

"Both of you, stop it!" Emily shot up, yanking on Sam's arm. "This is pointless! Sam, stop harping on Jacob about this, and Jacob, stop getting so upset!"

"Stay out of this, Emily!" Jacob barked.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Sam retorted. "She's just trying to keep the peace, you stupid little brat!"

Storming over, Jacob fearlessly glared at Sam. Despite his freakish height at his age, he was practically dwarfed by his huge cousin, who growled in a low, baritone frequency. "You wanna take this outside?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Turning on his heel, Sam stormed outside, Jacob following. Quickly, Bella rushed over and grabbed his arm.

"Jacob, what are you doing?!" she said frantically. "He's ten times bigger then you! Just let it go!"

"This doesn't concern you, Bella!" Jacob snapped, wrenching his arm from her grasp. He walked out to the back yard, where Sam was already starting to take off his clothes. Jacob started doing the same as Bella continued to try and stop him. But the stubborn male refused to listen to reason. Finally, Quil had to grab her arm and pull her away.

"You'll get hurt if you're in between them. They do this all the time."

With a fearful eye, she turned back to the now naked boys as they circled each other. Almost in unison, they began to change. While Jacob transformed into his sleek, white wolf that Bella had seen once before, Sam became a large, black bear, his eyes a pure, glowing white. With a roar and a howl, the two shifters launched at one another, Jacob going straight for Sam's throat. They tangled themselves against one another for a little bit before Jacob was able to leap off and go at him again. Bella nearly screamed with each new attack. She knew that they were just getting out their anger, but half the time, she felt as though they were really about to kill each other. Quil and Embry kept her at bay, however, while Emily just stood off to the side, pissed beyond belief. She had a feeling that Sam would be sleeping on the couch after tonight.

They slashed, they roared, they practically danced together in a song filled with claws and teeth. Bella could see strips of blood falling from their mouths and claws, trailing through their fur. Just when it looked as though Jacob was pinned for good by Sam, a gunshot rang through the air. Everyone turned to see Billy, a double rifle in his hands. Slowly, he wheeled himself down the patio and into the back yard. Both Jacob and Sam looked over, panting through their fangs. Billy's wrinkly face had a look as hard as stone engraved onto it. He stared at the boys, his noble brow furrowed in disappointment.

"That is enough." He did not shout, he didn't even raise his voice. He didn't need to. He rolled forward as the two fighting shifters remained still. Billy, though confined to a wheel chair, had always been a figure of profound wisdom and power. At least to Bella. And this scene was no different. He rested his double barrel in his lap, a sigh coming through his nose. "Go on then. Change back and get your clothes on."

Reluctantly, the boys returned to human form and pulled their clothes over their bodies. They both had a nasty set of fresh scratches now, ones that would take a while to heal. Billy clicked his tongue. "There will be no more fighting, understood? Sam, Jacob will accept his title on his own terms. And Jacob..." He gave his son an angry glare. "I expect more from you." Jacob lowered his eyes in shame, scratching at his neck a bit. "Now come inside. We have enough to worry about with hunters on the loose. The last thing we need is fighting amongst ourselves." Embry quickly came to Billy's side, helping him up the ramp and into the house. Glancing at Emily and Quil, Bella followed.

She hoped the tension would loosen between the two, though she knew what an empty hope that really was.

Ok! Here's your homework for this chapter: Predict what animals Quil and Embry change into. Those who get it right will get shout outs in the next chapter.

~T.


	21. Vampire Dreams

OMG! BIGGEST PIECE OF NEWS **IN THE HISTORY OF **_**FOREVER!**_

Ok... that might be exaggerating a tiny bit, but... STILL! So, I was speaking to my mother on the train today, when we landed on the subject of my rewrites. That's when she said that it was possible for me to publish all four of these – as serious parodies! Completely legal, and very profitable! However, I won't have much to work with if I just send in a plain proposal. That is where YOU come in!

Normally, I don't ask you guys to do anything other then reviews, but this is SERIOUS BUSINESS (stern face). Here is what you do. Write a letter. It doesn't have to be long at all. Just a paragraph or so. All you have to do is talk about this book on the internet that you absolutely love and would adore seeing in print. You don't have to use those words, but it would help. I'm giving a call to all of my fans and readers and reviewers! Here's where you send the letters to:

Writers House  
3368 Governor Drive, #224F  
San Diego, CA 92122

Just tell them about how they MUST get this book in print and about how awesome it is! I know I'm asking you to kiss my ass a bit, but it will all be worth it (Not to mention, I'll actually have a professional editor XD). So please, send your letters by **December 5****th**. (i'm serious about the deadline, people. You've got three weeks.) And should this plan work, be on the look out for the book title: _Dimlight. _Now, on with the story!

**Twenty One: Vampire Dreams**

**A**fter Jacob and Sam's throw down, things got a bit quiet through the house. Emily made a point of taking Sam off into a room somewhere to calm him down. The usually cool headed native seemed to be on edge, even after Billy's interruption. Bella was actually glad that he had been taken off by the girl, as his temper was frightening, even to someone who had stared death in the face multiple times. For a few hours, Bella spent her time wandering the house or the land surrounding it. She had forgotten just how large the Black estate really was. It sat on a secluded plot encased with trees, over looking all the other homes below. She spotted a few familiar faces. Obviously hearing about their friend's tantrum, Paul and Jerad decided to come over to try and help with his temper. Bella knew of them vaguely, but never really had many words to them. As a child, they along with Sam all sort of unnerved her with how large they were. Paul wasn't nearly as big as Sam was, but he was a stout young man, with hair that went down to his shoulders. Jerad was a head taller then his friend, his long hair in several pony tail ties running down his back. He had a much sleeker build then most of the others, his eyes much thinner as well. She stayed back a bit as they passed her, a short nod coming from each of them.

Bella watched the two vanish into Sam's room, faint voices heard after that. She stared at the door, rubbing her arm as though nervous. She couldn't help but feel responsible for all of this. She knew that the hunters weren't her fault, but her strong feeling of guilt couldn't be doused with logic. Perhaps it was her still muddled thoughts that caused her to feel this way. Perhaps it was Edward's arrival that made her feel so responsible. Trudging into the living room, she collapsed into the couch and looked out the window. The pack was having a good time. She could see them conversing with a few other shifters outside, including Jacob. They seemed to get along well... so at least it wasn't all bad.

From above her, Bella detected a creak. Looking to the ceiling, she saw nothing but the deep red of the wood. Her eyes traced the faint trails of grain within the planks, her mind reeling. Edward was probably sleeping right above her. What would his family do to him when they got there? She clutched her hands to her chest, remembering how vicious Carlisle had been. Would he be hurt? That was something she just couldn't live with. In a way, she felt as though he had returned for nothing. He must have felt that way too... And really, that was what was eating at her the most.

Things couldn't possibly go back to the way they were. Not after she and Jacob had... done whatever it is they did. It was all so confusing, and all so painful to think about. Laying down, she stared up at that ceiling for at least an hour. She could hear the vibrations of voices, and the echoing thuds of the footsteps throughout the house. Once and a while, one of the shifters, or one of the wolves, would come over and ask her how she was doing. She would just smile or shrug or say she was fine. Was she hungry? No, not really. Would she like to play some video games? Maybe another time. She also started to assess Jacob's situation as well.

What was this thing that everyone expected him to be? It obviously wasn't what he wanted. Was he some sort of prodigal son? Sam mentioned something about a leader... was he supposed to follow in his father's footsteps? It had to be the reason why he didn't want to come back in the first place. But Billy didn't seem to be putting any pressure on him specifically. Maybe it was just everyone else – or the people like Sam. She rubbed her face, still deep in thought. It wasn't until her back began to grow stiff that she actually moved. She stood in front of the couch, stretching and cracking a little bit in her back. A voice behind her made her jump.

"Everything all right?" Bella spun to see Emily smiling at her from the door frame. She said she was fine, the mustang walking towards her. Emily had always had a graceful way of moving. Perhaps it was her personal god that attributed to this.

"How's Sam?" she asked.

Emily scratched her shoulder a bit, shrugging. "Same as always, I guess. He's always had trouble controlling himself. He's gotten better at it. Though, sometimes he tries a little too hard." Bella nodded in agreement. Though she didn't know Sam all that well, rumors of his temper were not difficult to find, in vast contrast to his usual, stoic features. More then likely, it was him doing everything he could to abstain from anger. Emily turned to look out the window. "Jacob seems to be better."

"He is," said Bella, her hands behind her back. They were silent for a moment, looking at the scene outside. Currently, Tommy was trying to coax Jacob into trying his motorcycle. Some how, Bella could tell what Emily was going to want to talk about next.

"That vampire upstairs..." Bella snapped her head towards her. She gave the human a polite look. "He's one of the Cullens, isn't he." Wordlessly, she affirmed her question. Emily put a mindless hand to her hair, smoothing it out over the right side of her face. "I figured as much... Edward, right?" Again, she nodded. "Right..." They grew silent a second time. "He your friend at all?"

Bella didn't know how to answer that. She glanced at her reflection in the glass, as if to read her own face. Pulling her hands in front of her, she fiddled with her own fingers. "I don't know," was all she could come up with. Emily seemed to understand. She reached over and rubbed her arm in a sisterly way. Bella smiled in thanks, but said nothing else. Another pause ensued, Emily finally leaving without much of an exit. Bella stood were she was, slightly swaying on her feet. Finally, she forced herself to move.

Her footsteps were heavy, making unnecessary sound as she walked. She made her way up the creaking, attic stairs, her heart pounding heavily in her chest. What was she doing? He was asleep, so why bother him? He'd just be mad at her for disrupting his slumber. It would probably just aggravate him more then he already was. But something inside her edged Bella on, pushing her up, and up, and up...

Finally, she landed at the top step of the stairway. The door sat in front of her, closed and ancient. The hinges were rusted, and paint was pealing from the front and around the knob, which was practically falling off itself. She took a breath, and then reached forward, pushing open the door. Inside was a thin layer of dust, a few dragging tracks implying that things had been moved around recently. There was a thick carpet over one window, and a shower curtain over the other. In the center and near the back, Bella could see the outline of a mountain of boxes. She could almost hear the faint breathing of the vampire that lay within.

Bella stood there for she didn't know how long. She just teetered atop the front step, as though trying to push herself inside. Finally, after her eyes got used to the dark, she walked inside, shutting the door behind her. Why was she so terrified? It wasn't as though Edward would ever hurt her... would he? She took a few steps forward, her tracks left in the dust like foot prints on thin snow. Getting herself closer to the mound of boxes, she realized that Edward was laying beneath a table with a long blanket over it, the boxes surrounding him for extra protection. With timid hands, she reached out and slid a few out of the way. She paused before continuing, but there was no sound that came from beneath the table. Reaching for the blanket, Bella realized how cold it was up in the attic, a chill shooting through her spine. She took hold of the blanket and gently pulled it up, tucking it beneath the box atop the table.

There Edward lay, sound asleep. He was curled up in a nest of old blankets, a tiny spider escaping out of sight as she observed the creature. He had his hands beneath his cheek for a pillow of sorts, his knees curled up to his stomach. His face was peaceful, if not a little gaunt. Edward's circles were even deeper then they were the night before, his sunken cheeks much more prominent. Bella reached forward, gently touching his face. He winced in his sleep, but did nothing else. With a deep sigh, she crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap.

"Can you hear me?" she asked softly.

For a moment, nothing happened. But then, a muffled "yes" came from his throat. A tiny smile made it to Bella's face and she scooted forward. Reaching out, she touched his face again.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked.

Edward turned onto his back, another "yes" coming from his lips.

Bella leaned forward, hope starting to flood through her. Her hand was becoming very cold, but she ignored it. She let her thumb rest beneath his lower lip. "Do you love me...?"

He turned his head in his sleep against his palm. "Yes," he mumbled again.

Her heart once more picked up a rapped pace as she sat on her knees. Leaning over, a bit of hair fell from her neck, getting ready to kiss him. "Who am I...?" Edward's eye lids shifted, but a word once more fell from his voice.

"Anna..."

In an instant, Bella's appending warmth and growing forgiveness came to a screeching halt. She stared at him, her hand retracting and her lips parting. That couldn't have been right... Had she heard it right? She shook her head in disbelief. But she had heard it correctly. As she stared at him, he turned away from her, rolling over on his side.

_ME, you idiot!_ came a raging voice in her head. _You were supposed to say MY name! _She wanted to cry. Carlisle's words ruthlessly came to mind, replaying again and again. She was a substitute. How could she deny this theory now? Whenever he looked at her, he saw Annabell Susan McCleary, not Isabella Swan. Did he think of her when they kissed? When they embraced? When they made love? She put a hand to her mouth, rearing back a bit. She couldn't stand it. Shooting up, she wiped away the furious tears that spilled to her face. It was too upsetting to think about. But she couldn't block this out! She couldn't go on blindly, pretending that he cared for her... It was too hurtful, to devastating. The truth was simply too unbearable for her at that moment. Standing, she pulled down the blanket, blocking Edward from sight, and left the attic.

Turning on the second floor, she hurried into the guest room and fell to the bed, sobbing into her pillow. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't risk doing that in Jacob's house. The last thing she wanted was attention. After a good cry, she curled up into a ball, staring out the window. The sun had gone down by now. The twilight of the final hours was always so beautiful in Forks, especially La Push. But now, all that time did for her was make her spiteful, make her angry. Above her, she could hear him shuffling around. He was probably starving. Let him starve. What did she care? His entire love for her had been nothing more then a sham. Why should she care what he was doing? She could detect the sounds of his window sliding open, a few old pieces of paint falling past her window. Then, after a moment's pause, he leapt from his own ledge and into the woods, where he vanished into the darkness of the night.

With an angry sneer, Bella shot out of bed and yanked down the shade so hard, it fell from its holder.

Well, that's the end of the chapter. I'm serious about this letter stuff! I want this to be a real thing! Just think about it! X3 anyway, have a happy Thanksgiving, and i'll see you all later!

Leave those lovely reviews!

~T.


	22. An Island and a Prince

Hey everyone! How're the letters coming along? A few announcements before I continue:

1. If this series becomes published, it'll be under the new name of "Dimlight," and once it hits stores, it will no longer be on the internet. I'll at least finish of New New Moon and then take it down if that happens

2. If you want to read the novella I wrote for National Novel Writing Month, go here: scribd .com /doc/ 23268057 / The-Metal-Man. No spaces, of course.

**Twenty Two: An Island and a Prince**

**E**dward returned from hunting that night only to head straight back to the attic, not speaking to anyone. He probably thought it was safer then going back to his own home. For one thing, Carlisle would probably be waiting for him, and if not him, then the hunters would locate it. Bella didn't move all that night, still furious with herself. She didn't even eat dinner that evening; not even Jacob's home made spaghetti and sausages got her out of bed. When he brought her up a plate, she thanked him softly, and stared at it until the food went cold. He was obviously worried about her, but kept a respectful distance. Bella was thankful for that. She didn't know how in the world to react to all of this.

That morning, she awoke in a puddle of her own drool, the pillow case stuck to her cheek and lips. With a groan, she slid out of bed and washed herself. The plate of dinner was already gone. Jacob must have woken up earlier then her and removed it from the room. She felt bad for not eating it, but she just wasn't hungry. She ran a comb through her untamed hair and changed into fresh clothes before heading downstairs. The wolves had seemed to want to ride around La Push for a bit to blow off some energy. Bella was a bit worried, but Billy assured her that there were eyes everywhere following them. Not to mention that hunters usually didn't attack an entire tribe of shifters. Not only was it unwise on the hunters' part, but it was dishonorable. After being reassured, she began to eat her breakfast rapidly, the lack of dinner from the night before taking its toll. Jacob paused to stare at her as she literally wolfed down her food – no pun intended.

"Are you... ok, Bella?" he asked, setting his fork down. Bella took a few huge gulps of milk and continued shoveling bacon into her mouth.

"Oh yeah," she said, choking down her food. "I'm fine. Just fine... Pass the muffins." Jacob did so, still in a bit of shock. The girl took a massive bite out of the muffin, sucking a blueberry from her teeth. "Mm. This is good. Can I have seconds?"

"I think you've had enough... hey...!" He looked up as Bella swiped her empty plate and grabbed a few more pieces of bacon, and another full serving of scrambled eggs. She stopped when she felt two large hands resting on her shoulders. "Bella... just calm down for a second."

"Calm? I am calm. What do you mean calm?" She moved a piece of bacon up to take a bite, when Jacob took both that and the strip away form her. Setting them aside, he took her hands.

"Come on. Let's go for a ride."

Bella gave him a curious look. "What do you mean? Where are we going?" Jacob took her wrist and walked her out to where his truck sat idol. She would have rode in it the night they escaped Seattle, but both the passenger's seat and the truck bed were filled with different bags of clothes and necessities. Now that she thought about it, it was funny to her how much werewolves actually needed. She almost giggled when she remembered that Tommy had made sure to grab his game station. They got into the cab of the vehicle, Jacob turning on the engine and driving from the house. The two were silent as he drove, Bella resting her head on the window. She tapped at its base every now and again, lost in her own mind.

Had she always been a replacement? Perhaps she had... Maybe not even Edward realized it at the time. Perhaps he had. What if he knew that Jessica was her decadent? Would he have gone after her instead? Of course, Jessica had a natural aversion to the vampire. Bella should have taken her advice and just stayed away from the beginning. Resting her forehead on the side of the door, she sighed, watching as they drove off the main road and towards First Beach. Bella furrowed her brow in curiosity, pushing away her thoughts for now.

"Where are we going?" she repeated. He parked the truck just in front of the sand and got out. James Island sat off in the distance as it usually did. Memories of their first trip there flooded back to her. He lead Bella over to the boat rental, and was actually able to get a motor boat this time. They rode their way over to the shore of the island, Jacob still remaining silent. Once landing on the base of the land mass, Jacob got out and killed the motor. "Why are we here?" Bella asked. Jacob got out of the boat first, helping her out second, though she didn't need it.

"For a break," he said simply. "It's too crowded at home. Even without Mac and the others." Taking her hand, they walked up the pathway to the very top of the island. No small feet, either. Jacob had no trouble climbing it, but Bella had to stop every now and again to catch her breath. Once they got to the top, they sat themselves down near the edge and stared off into the Pacific Ocean. The horizon line was perfectly horizontal, just barely splitting the sky and the sea. Off in the distance, Bella saw a flock of gulls, rising and falling to the surface of the water. And for once, Bella's boggling thoughts stopped. She just sat there, admiring the mass of water. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she let the salty air run through her hair, and she smiled.

"It's nice," she said softly, letting her eyes close. "Thank you..." He responded lowly, remaining beside her. They sat together for a long time, the sun warming them despite the bit of wind.

"Are you ok?" Jacob asked after a while. She turned to him. He was now laying flat on his back, staring up at the few trees that grew on the surface.

"I'm fine," she responded. Bella laid beside him, clutching each other's hands and staring up at the clouds. They picked out a few shapes, Bella being strongly reminded of when they were children, laying in a glen in the woods and doing the exact same thing. When that got old, they grew silent once again. The warmth of his hand was calming as she laid there, the sound of the waves echoing below. Bella turned to him, watching his stoic profile.

"What about you?" she asked quietly. He turned to her. "You didn't want to come home in the first place." Jacob looked off to the side before sitting up. She mimicked his actions, hugging his arm. "What is it that everyone wants you to be?"

He let out a bit of a chuckle. "The _Mai-co Mudjekeewis_. It literally translates into 'Wolf, First Born Son.'" He turned to her. "Do you remember when I showed you the inside of this place? That picture of a wolf transforming into a man?" She nodded. "Well... Legend has it that he was not only the first Quileute, but the ancestor of all shifters. And anyone who befalls a shifter form there after is said to be a great leader for the tribe. Of course, this information isn't known to outsiders. It's kept a secret just as our shifter natures are kept secret." He frowned, putting his chin into his palms. "Apparently, when I turn eighteen, I'm supposed to be this great, grand leader or something. I guess you could say I'm sort of a prince."

"A prince?" Bella thought about this for a second. She supposed, considering what he was, that it made sense. "But... it's not like when it was in the seventeen hundreds or anything. It's modern times. It shouldn't mean as much now, right?"

"That's what I'm saying!" Jacob spat, throwing his hands into the air. "But everyone's always hinting that I'm supposed to bring them into prosper or something! It's ridiculous! I just... I just wanted a break from it all." He went silent then, staring intently into the beyond. He looked up only when Bella ran her hand down his back.

"I think you should be able to do whatever you want," she said, a smile coming to her lips. "It's the twenty first century... You should be allowed to." Jacob put on a reluctant grin and nodded. It soon faded as he came to his next subject.

"So... what about you and Cullen?" Bella dropped her hands, turning her face away.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said simply.

"Bella, you have to some time..." She turned to say something else, when he stopped all together, his body going erect. His sharp eyes turned, looking here and there.

"What is it...?"

"Shh..."

Jacob got to his feet, Bella doing likewise. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bullet rang out, hitting the ground beside their feet. "Hunters!" said Jacob frantically. Just as he spoke, a few familiar faces came into view, guns cocked and ready. "Run, Bella!" he ordered over his shoulder.

"What about you - !?"

"Just go! Get back to the reservation!" With a sharp nod, Bella bolted for the pathway, hearing Jacob transform with a ferocious snarl. She practically fell over herself trying to get away. If she could get back, and alert the others, she'd be fine. Maybe Sam or Paul...! They could help!" She was half way there, when two arms came from behind a rock and grabbed her. She tried to scream, but a cloth covered her mouth and nose. A vile chemical made it into her lungs, and before she knew it, she had blacked out.

Sorry, cliff hanger, I know. I'm in a rush... leave those reviews! Toodles!

~T.


	23. Card Games

Hey everyone... Well, I've come down with a bit of a cold, so I guess it's best that I update today. And the query letter should be going out soon!

**Twenty Three: Card Games**

**B**ella wasn't quite sure when she actually woke up. First, she recalled feeling where she was. She was laying on something very hard and somewhat dirty. When she first started to turn back on, she began to hear a few muffled voices not far off from where she was. She laid there for a little while longer, trying to decipher just where she was. When she couldn't figure it out, she opened her eyes. From what she could tell, Bella was in some sort of building with a dirt floor. The ceiling was low, with a single lamp that hung down in the middle of the room. She saw a good deal of cigarette smoke, wafting up within the light. The smell wasn't that far from it. Her head felt heavy, as did the rest of her body. A few blurry figures sat beneath the low dangling light, the sound of cards being moved about between them. Finally, Bella started to sit up, her brain spinning from the change in position. Her eyes focused, and she saw the figures in better detail.

The two card players were a man and a woman, sitting with a table separating them. The man she recognized as the hunter that stalked the pack once before. He now was much more aloof, the scar on his right side more visible now that he wore nothing to hide it. However, Bella had never seen the woman before.

She, like the man – Julian, Bella remembered his name to be – was well built and somewhat bulky. The woman had short, almost butch-cut blond hair, with brown eyes and thin lips. She looked over to Bella, noticing that the girl was up. She took out the cigarette that sat within her mouth and blew smoke through her nose. "Nice of you to join us," she said simply. Bella quickly shifted to her knees, pressing her back against the wall. The woman cocked a heavy brow. "Relax. We're not going to kill you."

Swallowing, Bella lifted herself onto trembling knees, still keeping her body plastered to the wall. Now that she was standing, Bella saw a door across the way from her, as well as a gun rack with a few nasty looking weapons on them. "Why did you bring me then?" she asked finally.

"Wolves always come back for their favorite toy," said Julian simply. He fanned out his cards and disposed of one, taking one in the process. He didn't even bother looking up.

"So... I'm bait then?" Bella felt somewhat insulted that they cared as little as they did about her. Then again, why would they? She wasn't important.

The woman took a drag of her cigarette and set it aside. "Wanna play cards?" she asked simply. "You might be here for a while." Bella stared at her, not knowing what to say. She had just been kidnapped and yet she was being treated as the neighbor girl who dropped in for a cup of sugar. Her eyes darted to the door. Slowly, she inched towards it. The hunters were too engulfed in their card game to even look up. Either that or they hardly registered Bella as a potential escapee. With a jerk, Bella ran to the door. She began to jiggle and pull at the handle. But it was locked. Feeling embarrassment, she glanced behind her. They didn't so much as blink. Anger began to add to her feeling, and she quickly grabbed one of the guns on the rack. It was much heavier then she imagined as she swung it haphazardly around, trying to steady it and herself at the same time. She pointed it at the both of them.

"Open the door!" she demanded. The woman took a last drag from her cigarette before flicking it behind her.

"No ammo in the gun, sweetie."

With a blink, Bella stared at the rifle in her hand. She squeezed the trigger, only to be greeted by a click. Now looking incredibly stupid, she sheepishly put the gun back and slumped over to the corner, where she sat herself up against the wall and pulled her knees to her chest. For a while, the only sounds in the room were the occasional words between the two hunters, and the shuffling of their cards. It got to a point to where Bella's buttocks was starting to go incredibly numb. Ignoring it, she let her head thump gently on the wall behind her. She was just considering going to sleep when a burrowing sound caught her attention. She turned to the left of her, seeing the dirt floor start to shift and unearth itself. The hunters didn't seem to notice, and for once she was glad. Finally, a nose popped up, followed by the body of a badger. Surprised, Bella reared back a bit. The white and black, furry creature blinked its beady eyes at her, and then did something very strange.

With its tiny claw, it actually held up a finger to its mouth, as if to tell Bella not to say anything. If she hadn't already grown used to vampires, werewolves and shifters, this would have been much odder then it already was. The badger then trotted its way from the hole, hopping into Bella's lap. She nearly gasped, but stopped herself before she became audible. From the hole made by the creature, a faint hissing was heard. Up from the dirt slithered a large, thick snake with black scales. Its tongue flickered from between its lips, the eyes remaining wide open. It slunk seamlessly from the hole and headed towards the hunters. Bella felt her heart thud loudly within her ears as the serpent made its way beneath the card table. That's when Bella noticed a ring of keys dangling from Julian's belt. Was the snake trying to go for it?

Bella soon got her answer. The snake wasn't going to go for the keys, but the badger was. Without warning, the serpent bared its fangs and sunk them deep into Julian's thigh. He jumped, letting out a cry of surprise. The badger then darted for the keys, grabbing them easily and biting the piece of fabric that held them to the buckle loop. Without thinking, Bella lurched from her spot and grabbed the keys, quickly opening the door while the two were distracted. She trusted the shifters (what else could they be?) could escape through the means of their little hole.

After opening the door, she saw a few others like it, and ran down the hall, trying to find the exit in the labyrinth of doors and hallways. Unfortunately, Julian's cry was enough to get a few other hunters aware of her situation. As she ran, the doors on either side of her began to open, other hunters starting to pour out. Bella wasn't sure how she was able to keep out of reach of them, but she was. Finally, she found the door that lead outside. It was late afternoon, by the looks of it. Though she didn't take the time to try and decipher where she was. She just started to bolt. Five feet from the door, someone grabbed her arm, jerking her back. She looked up to see the gnarled face of an angry hunter. The man was about to say something, with he reared back, something hitting him in the stomach. Looking down, Bella saw a stag, its antlers parallel to the ground as he rammed into the hunter. The deer then looked up to Bella and bobbed its head, signaling her to keep running. Bella did so without question, a horse coming into view.

A horse... Emily! Bella bolted for the maple colored mustang and quickly jumped onto her back. The roar of a bear soon followed, as did the growl of a wolf. Even the snarling of a bobcat was audible. She turned just as the shifter took off. Bella had never ridden a horse before, and she had to admit that it was much harder then it seemed. She instantly felt as though she was going to fall off and quickly clung to Emily's stout neck. The horse neighed and continued sprinting until they came to a hill. With grace and agility, the mustang slid down on her hooves, until finally reaching solid ground. She trotted until reaching the safety of the trees. She then began to slow down, pausing at a stream. Bending down, Bella was allowed to slide off of her back. She stood with shaky legs, but she stood all the same. Emily smoothly changed from her horse form to her original form. Other then the scars on her face, Emily had quite an impressive body, particularly her chest. It caused Bella to fell a subtle envy. The native quickly slipped into her clothes and turned to smile at her.

"You ok?" she asked, walking over to the human.

Bella nodded. "A little freaked still, but fine..." She looked towards the woods, worried for the others. Before she was able to ask if they got away all right, the sound of padded feet made their way closer to them. Then, one by one, the faces of various animals made themselves known. Bella immediately recognized Jacob's silvery wolf form, and Sam's bear form, but she was having a hard time discerning who was what otherwise. Until they began to retransform. The tiny badger turned out to be Quil, Embry evolving from the elegant stag. Jerad rose from the body of the snake, and Paul came out of the last minute bob cat. They all quickly threw their clothes on and turned to her. Jacob was the second one to ask if she was all right, counting Emily.

Bella nodded. "Are any of you hurt?"

"We're fine," said Quil with a smile. "This stuff was actually the most fun we've had."

"Speak for yourself," said Jerad, rubbing his belly. "I can't slither as fast as you guys can run. That wares on me."

"In any case," said Sam, his thick brow furrowing, "you need to be more careful. You're a great deal safer around us, but that doesn't mean you can be flimsy about your awareness..."

Jacob frowned at him. "The point is that she's fine." He turned to Bella and hugged her close. "Come on... let's get you home."

With a nod, they all headed out of the forest, where a few cars and trucks awaited them.

I know, kind of short. I'm sorry... =.= i'm sick, what do you want?

Leave a review! How many of you were kind of close to guessing their animals?

~T.


	24. Confrontation

So, I re-watched _Twilight_ again last night... Got a few chuckles, I guess. I really just got it to torture my dad with. Too bad he fell asleep.

Anyway, I kept on thinking about what it might be like if my Edward met Meyer's Edward. It'd probably be something like this.

Meyer's Ed: "Oh woe is me... I am a pretentious, sparkly vampire with no fangs!"

My Ed: "..."

Meyer's Ed: "And I am in love with a beautiful girl named Bella! I plan on marrying her!"

My Ed: "...seriously. Is this _really_ the guy I was based on?"

PS – about those of you who think that Quil got the short end of the stick, have you ever seen an angry badger? Those things can rip your faces of... *shutter*

**Twenty Four: Confrontation**

**A**fter the heroic rescue, the group was greeted by those who remained behind, particularly the wolves. Nickey was furious that they weren't allowed to go. But, of course, they would have been walking right into the hunters' trap had they gone to fetch Bella themselves. The whole pack felt terrible for her endangerment, and constantly apologized for her kidnapping. But Bella assured them that she was alive and well, and that they wouldn't have hurt her anyway. In fact, they didn't even seem to care about her one way or the other. At least when she was kidnapped by vampires, they toyed with her. Which, she supposed, was backwards thinking... If anything, that should have been good news for her. None the less, she felt some inane, superficial frustration that she meant less to them then a steak to lour in their wolf targets. Perhaps all the past affiliation with vampires and werewolves during the recent year had warped her way of thought? A distinct possibility. In any case, she was glad to be back. Apparently, she had been knocked out the entire night after she had been taken, and woke up that morning (the drugs they used must have been incredibly strong). She didn't even know how long she had been sitting there. So there had been a good amount of panic when she was gone. Billy admitted that he was tempted to call her father for help, which would have been a disaster. But the shifters and the wolf pack weren't the only ones who had been worried for her safe return.

"He's been brooding in the attic since the news broke," said Emily softly as they drove back. She elected to ride with Jacob, as Sam's car was full enough with four other passengers. Bella glanced at the girl behind her, and then at the driver. Jacob didn't say a word. "He couldn't go, obviously... It's still sunny out. And hunters know how to deal with vampires just as much as werewolves." She paused in her speech, her eyes on the shifter who drove. Still, Jacob said nothing.

They pulled up to the house, where of course, everyone acted accordingly. After a good meal (she realized she was starving) and a change of clothes, the sun was starting to set. Jacob was laying on the couch, his wrist over his eyes. Bella leaned over the couch, looking at him. It was a moment before he popped his eye out to stare back. She gave him a tiny smile.

"Thanks for saving me," she said. Jacob nodded, replacing his wrist where it was. She felt a pain of guilt stab her heart. Above her, she heard a creak of the floorboards in the attic. They both looked upwards, though they knew that Edward was probably listening to them. Her eyes turned back to him, her fingers picking at the couch. "Jacob, listen..."

"What's there to say?" he remarked flatly. With a sigh, he propped himself up, his arm hanging over the back of the couch. He looked Bella square in the eye. "I saved you, you thanked me. I wasn't the only one, but you're welcome."

Bella frowned. "Don't be a jerk, Jacob. You know what I'm getting at."

"Yeah, I know what you're getting at." With a sullen expression, Jacob plopped back down on the couch, his back turned to her. Frustrated, Bella swiped a throw pillow and hit his shoulder. He just took the blanket on the back of the couch and covered his head with it. Despite how mature Jacob could be sometimes, he was still only a sixteen year old boy. Bella felt odd coming to terms with that. "Shouldn't you go check on Dracula? He's probably too stubborn to come down himself."

With a huff, Bella yanked off the blanket and waited until Jacob was looking up at her. "Listen, I'm trying to sort a lot of things right now. I don't need you mad at me, ok?" He let his hand go to his face, scratching his chin.

"I know... it's just." He pinched his nose together with his forefinger and thumb. "I mean... We kissed literally hours before he came back into your life. If anyone knows how to spoil the mood, it's him."

Bella sighed, her chin resting in her palms. They were silent together, her heart a bit heavy now that she thought about it. Even with the hunters, it was all so simple. Now... Edward had done nothing but make it complicated. Then again, it wasn't as though it was his fault. He could have no way of knowing what he was putting a stop to. Her eyes turned back up to the attic, where the creaks of floorboards had stopped. She rubbed her arm and then stood up. "I should go talk to him," she said softly. Without another word, she turned and headed up the stairs.

As she ascended the creaking steps, she began to remember the last time she crept up on Edward in the attic. Even more pain flooded to her. Whispering Annabell's name was proof that Carlisle was right. Perhaps not _undeniable_ proof, but it was enough for her. Still... she couldn't help but imagine how truly alone he was at the moment. They hadn't said a word to one another for days now. And despite any arguments, Bella was sure that he was worried over her. The least she could do was say hello. With a hesitant heart, Bella pried open the attic door. The sun had set by then, leaving only a faint, rose flush against the cloth that covered up the window. Edward's make-shift fort sat where it had been before, and Edward himself was sitting beside it.

One of his knees was propping up his elbow, while the other was splayed out in front of him. He slumped against the back wall, his fading, golden eyes staring straight at the floor between his thighs. His other hand was resting beside his hip, palm side up and fingers curled naturally. He didn't look up when Bella came in. He didn't have to. Neither one said anything for the longest moment. Finally, his voice broke the silence.

"Close the door. It blocks most of the smell."

With a bit of a frown, Bella shut the door behind her and leaned up against it. Her breathing was the only noise between them for a while. After a long moment of silence, his eyes shot up to her. "...You ok...?"

She shifted from foot to foot, looking everywhere but his face. "I've had worse," she said in a lame attempt for a joke. Though it bordered on the tone of contemptuous. Her eyes returned to his own, which remained on her face. "So...? Now what?"

"You tell me." He rose from where he stood and began to slowly pace the floor. She watched him, taking a few steps further in.

"I don't know," she said simply. "You seem to be the one with a plan."

A bitter laugh came from his lips. "Oh yeah. Come back, sweep you off your feet and live happily ever after. And look how _well_ it's working!" He continued pacing, each step adding to his frustration. Bella grew angry as well, feeling a bit irked herself.

"You're just upset that I moved on," she accused.

"Yes! I am!" He spun to her, eyes wild and untamed. "I mean... God, Bella! It was only a few months!"

"Well I know that doesn't seem like a lot of time to someone who's a hundred years old!" she shot back. "But I didn't ever think you were coming back! What did you want me to do!? Shut off completely!?"

He groaned loudly. "Bella, you _know_ I would have found some way back!"

Her arms crossed and she looked to the side. "Didn't look like it to me..."

With a frustrated sigh, Edward swung at the air, letting out a bit of repressed anger. "Why do I even try anymore?! Forget it! I probably should have just stayed in Alaska and waisted away! It's not like you ever really cared, did you!?"

"Oh blow it out your ass!" Bella decided to just give in and let rage and feelings of betrayal take over. "Quit playing the 'lonesome hero' all the time! It gets annoying!"

Snorting, Edward stormed across the way, pacing faster this time. "Oh, forgive me for not being the 'righteous, holier then thou' Bella Swan!" He gripped his hair and then rounded to her, his eyes ablaze with anger now. "I mean, you don't _really_ blame me for what happened?!"

"Of course not." Bella's tone had settled a bit, her breath coming out louder then her voice. She shut her eyes, allowing her brain to throb painfully. Opening them up again, she looked Edward straight in the eye. "That's not why I'm angry."

Edward blinked, confused as to what she meant. But Bella didn't have to tell him. It wasn't long before things began to click, and his face took on shock, and near repulsion. "Wh...wait, what? You don't think that...?" She remained silent, answering his question. "Oh Jesus Christ... Bella! You _know_ that Carlisle just said that to get on my nerves!"

"Was he?" she asked sharply. "Call me crazy, but I doubt that's something Carlisle would say if it wasn't true."

Disgust flocked to his face. However, whatever spiteful or denying words that he was thinking of didn't seem to make it through his throat. He blanched and sputtered, unable to come up with a solid retort. Finally, he stopped himself and took a breath. Taking a few steps closer, he put his hands on her shoulders. "Bella..." he said earnestly. "You don't... _really_ think you're a replacement... do you?" She was unable to answer. She just stood there, staring squarely at his eyes. "Well do you?" he repeated. Bella slid her shoulders from his palms and turned from him. Half way to the door, Edward zipped to the frame to block it in a rush of snarls and wind. "Answer me!" he demanded, his fangs bared in intimidation. But this did not scare the girl. Her face unreadable, Bella walked forward and stood toe to toe with him.

"If you don't get out of my way," she said softly, "I will stick a crucifix so far up your ass that you'll be puking holy water for a week."

Where that came from or why, Bella had absolutely no idea. Nor did she care. Edward was shocked at her vulgar threat, but quickly sobered, straightening out his back. He slid away and went to the window. The sun was down by then. Pulling it up, he dove from it, leaving the attic without a trace. Bella remained where she was for a long moment before thundering downstairs. Her rage was back tenfold, bubbling from within her chest. She went right to the kitchen, grabbing a large plate of left over food. She had been to the Blacks' house enough times to where she didn't need to ask to raid the fridge. Nickey and Mac, who were in the kitchen at the time, looked up to see her storm her way in.

"Uh... Bella? Sweetie?" Nickey approached her delicately, trying to calm her down. Bella paid him no mind. Once the plate was done in the microwave, she grabbed it and let it flop to the kitchen island, sitting behind it and starting to shovel the food into her mouth. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nickey and Mac look at one another. The Asian wolf slid over to the stool beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. Bella's mastication began to slow, until finally she was just sitting there, staring at her plate of mashed potatoes and scraps of meatloaf. Nickey leaned down a bit, giving her a sympathetic look. "Why don't you tell us what happened?"

Bella looked up to her friend and then to Mac, who gave her a gentle smile. Pushing her plate away, she laid her head on the counter top and proceeded to tell them everything.

Your homework for this chapter – and this is a fun one – what do you think the scene would be if Meyer's Bella met my Bella?

And of course, tell me how you like the story so far.

~T.


	25. The Cullen Estate

Well ladies and... I think I have some gentlemen here... I have bad news. Apparently, the publisher is a little too chicken shit to publish my version. But not to fear! I've decided to self publish the stories! But seeing as how I have close to no money, I figured I could start a fund raiser by selling (and I'm not kidding) sparkling voodoo dolls of Edward Cullen. If you want to get one, go onto YouTube and look up: "Sparkly Vamp Voo-Doo Doll." It's the first video you see. With that being said, let's get on with the show!

PS – I apologize for this being so late... I hit a bit of a block with this one...

PPS – Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, have a good Solstice, and all that jazz.

**Twenty Five: The Cullen Estate**

**E**dward, it seemed, did not want to return after sunrise. After a long talk with Nickey and Mac, Bella decided to stay up with the other wolves and wait for his return. The werewolves were all restless because of the appending full moon the night after that one, and so were unable to sleep. Bella distracted herself from her guilt with card games or dominos or even Tommy's video games. Billy didn't let them ride their bikes to get rid of energy after a certain time, so from eleven o'clock on, the pack was remanded to inside activities. Bella watched the window when she wasn't doing anything, staring at the dense forest just beyond the reservation. She awaited Edward's arrival, rehearsing what she was going to say to him. In all honesty, now that her tantrum was done with, she began to feel sorry for the things she said to him. She still hurt, and she wasn't about to forget and forgive everything, but she knew that Edward wouldn't do something like this on purpose. The idea of getting back together with him was still foggy, and at this moment in time, a bit out of the question. Still, there was no harm in at least settling to some kind of civilized plane of agreement and apology. At some time during her late night watch, she fell asleep, only to be awakened by Jacob shaking her shoulder.

"Hey... Bella." She blinked, looking up to the face of her friend. "You fell asleep on the couch," he said, smiling a bit. "Why don't you go lay down in bed?" There was a pause as her drowsy eyes saw the window. It was daylight out. Edward must have returned in those hours when she was asleep. Yawning, she got up and insisted that she was awake. After showering and changing, she went up to the attic to speak with the vampire. She didn't particularly want to wake him from his sleep. God knew he was cranky enough without being sleepy on top of it. But she couldn't let this wait until then. By that time, the wolves would have transformed and there would be no time to talk. So, with a heavy heart, she once more climbed the stairs that lead to the attic.

Carefully, she knocked. "Edward...?" There was no answer. She didn't even hear the creak of the floorboards. He must have been asleep. Taking a breath, she budged the door open and walked inside. She couldn't find him, and could only conclude that he was under the sheets of his make-shift tent. But when she pulled up the cloth, she saw that he was, in fact, not there. For a moment, she panicked. Had the hunters grabbed him? Had he been captured while out hunting or blowing off steam? She calmed herself, closing her eyes.

No... She could remember how he had fended off James. Hunters couldn't catch him if he had become his true form, which he probably did to get away from them. The only conclusion she came to was that he was somewhere else for the day. But where? He wouldn't dare go back to Carlisle. So where then? Had he just run off? That would be stupid... And the mill's roof was still caved in, giving him no protection from the sun. That meant that he could only be one place.

Home.

Quickly, Bella moved downstairs and headed outside. He was probably just sulking as usual. Still, the two of them needed to talk. She couldn't just leave this wound open, it would kill her from the inside out. After explaining where she would be going, however, she was met with a little more then obstacle. No one wanted her out on her own. Especially after what happened. They begged her not to go alone. Separating from anyone now was a terrible idea, and even worse with the full moon mere hours away. To her, this only fueled her own argument that she needed to bring Edward back to La Push. But to appease their complaints, she had Jacob drive her. Though she really wouldn't have been able to go without him to begin with, short of stealing his truck.

It took them a good few hours to get back into Forks. Bella prayed that Charlie didn't see them. That would just complicate things far more then they needed to be. The last thing she wanted was for Charlie to be pulled into this whole mess... However, luck seemed to not be on her side, as at the second red light that fateful black and white cruiser sat just opposite of the black truck. Charlie looked up, and he and Bella instantly made eye contact. The man broke out into a charming smile, and Jacob and Bella glanced at each other. They couldn't just drive off as though they hadn't seen him now. So, reluctantly, Jacob pulled over to the curb and the two got out. It seemed he was just as cautious about involving the man as she was.

"Bells! Jacob!" Charlie hugged his daughter, rubbing her shoulder. "So you decided to come home early, eh? That's good... Though I wish you would have called first. I don't have any food in the house. But I guess we can just go out to eat tonight..."

"Dad." Bella patted her father's head, smiling weakly at him. "Um... We're not back. Not officially anyway."

Blinking, Charlie rubbed his neck. "You're not?"

"No, Chief Swan," said Jacob. "Um... right now we have to go do something for the Cullens. And then we're going back to our friends in Seattle." Charlie gave a disapproving frown to the both of them.

"Really?" he asked. He seemed to have his brief moment of happiness that his daughter was home dashed by the reality. Bella shifted uncomfortably before breaking into a smile.

"You know, dad... If you want, we can all have lunch together."

That seemed to raise his spirits a bit. "Lunch?" He looked to Jacob to see if he approved, and the shifter didn't have any objections. "All right. That sounds great." So, they headed over to the diner that was a block away and got themselves a table in the corner of the restaurant. Charlie talked up a storm, informing the two of all they missed during the summer in Forks. He ordered steak and blueberry cobbler as usual, Jacob only ordering a little something to eat, rather then his normal buffet. Understandable, considering the night they had ahead of them. Bella just ordered a normal hamburger, nursing her soda and listening to her father ramble. Slowly but surely, she joined in on the one-sided conversation, even smiling a bit. It was then that she realized just how normal she felt.

She had told Edward once that she hated being normal. That it wasn't interesting being normal. And yet, as she sat there, eating and enjoying the presence of her father, she couldn't help but feel refreshed by it all. After so much turmoil and danger, having a normal lunch with Charlie was relaxing, almost lightening. For a split second, she even forgot about everything. The hunters, the wolves, the shifters and the vampires. That moment, it was just she, her best friend, and her father, enjoying a meal together. It was... nice.

After eating, they went their separate ways, Bella almost wishing they could stay longer. But she knew that she and Jacob had to enter into a world that Charlie could not follow into. She could never live with herself if anything happened to her father. They drove silently until climbing the bumpy, uneven road that went upwards towards the house at the top. It seemed like ages ago since she last stepped inside that house. That house, that was so incredibly daunting and foreboding, yet had a certain, indescribable beauty and attraction to it. As they drove up to it, Jacob parked the car, remaining where he was. Giving him a glance and a pat on the arm, Bella slipped out and walked in herself.

The floor creaked as she walked inside, the candles unlit and cold. The only light within the old, Victorian manor was the light shed from the open door. Heart pounding, she closed it, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness within. "Hello?" Her voice echoed slightly against the walls of the empty house. She began to walk down the hallway, feeling in front of her so that she did not trip over anything. "Hello?" she called again. "Edward?" The old wood beneath her groaned with every step, the house itself breathing around her. Suddenly, chills ran up her spine, and she turned around. Nothing was there. Swallowing a hard lump, she continued inward. "Hello...?"

"MISS BELLA!"

Without knowing what hit her, Bella was suddenly winded, falling off of her feet and onto the floor. A bit dizzy, she blinked away stars until she saw the outlines of a little boy above her. "J...Jasper?" Quickly, Jasper lit a candle and set it aside in its holder, turning back to the human. He looked just as he did before the Cullens left Forks, gangly, shoeless, and with floppy clothes around his slim body. Bella gave him a weak smile and got to her feet, wobbling a bit. "It's good to see you again," she said, dusting herself off. "Ooph... But please don't tackle me like that anymore."

"Sorry... I'm just so happy to see ya..."

Bella nodded, straightening up a bit. "Are the rest of the Cullens back?" He shook his head.

"I'm the fastest," he said simply. "But don't worry. I won't tell Carlisle that ya'll are here. Though I dunno if he knows or not..."

"Jasper." Bella looked up to see the candle light flickering just slightly against the form of Edward, who was stalking near the shadows. He kept his eyes on Bella, who did likewise. Walking forward, he gave her a stiff glare. "I don't know how far off the others are."

Bella nodded, her eyes falling a bit. "Edward, I'm sorry for the fight." She looked up at him, trying to see if he'd understand. "But there are bigger things to worry about right now. The hunters will be very active tonight. It's a full moon – "

"I'm aware what night it is," he cut off. Bella blinked, suddenly reminded of their rocky start together. He wasn't turning back into that crude, rough vampire that despised her, was he? A frown made it to her face and she put her hands to her hips.

"So then why did you leave the reservation?"

"Simple," he said. "They're after the wolves. So I go to where there are none. It's safe, don't you agree?"

"But they could come after you! Hunters go for vampires too!"

"Yes, I've been informed about their main targets, thank you."

"Will you stop being such a persnickety ass hole? I'm trying to make sure you're ok!"

"Well here I am. Do I look harmed to you?"

"Do you even care about anyone but yourself?!"

"That depends, are you some self-righteous bitch!?"

Bella was about to open her mouth when a shrill whistle broke their bickering. Turning, they all three spotted Jacob walking through the shadows towards them. "Bella's right," he said, moving closer. "It's unwise to be on your own tonight." He gave Edward a glare. "Power in numbers. That's what your family has always believed in, right?" Edward's eyes narrowed, but it was obvious that Jacob was right. The more there were, the less likely a hunter attack would succeed.

"Well what do you suggest we do now?" Edward snipped. "It's bright out there. It's not like it's overcast and Jasper and I can walk out in hoodies."

"It'll be sunset soon," said Jacob. "We can stay here until it gets dark. After that, we can try and head back to the reservation."

Edward huffed. "Fine. You and your human pet have fun. I'm getting some sleep before then. Come on, Jasper." Turning, he slunk into the darkness. The smaller vampire gave them both looks of apology before turning and vanishing after his brother. Bella was just about to turn to Jacob, when she heard a rumbling outside. A bit confused, she and Jacob headed out to see Mac and his gang sitting on idle motorcycles. Mac removed his helmet, smiling.

"Mind if we come in?"

Sorry, this is a terrible place to leave off, but it'll make sense in the next chapter. So! Leave those reviews!

~T.


	26. Are You Experianced?

Happy new year everyone!

May I just say, I am so, so, so, _so_ sorry that this is another late chapter. See, I got photoshop for Christmas and... um... *heh*... I can't tare myself away from it... Anywho! Sorry for leaving you guys stranded like that in the last one. Let's get into the third act, shall we?

PS – I'm going to be putting these on the back burner as far as getting them published so that I can try and focus on Personal Demons, my other novel series, first. So I'll probably be putting all four up on here.

PPS – I finally watched the _New Moon___movie, and the minute Taylor Laughtner walked in, I was like: "Hello, only good thing in the movie." I know some of you hate it when I rip on SMeyer, but dammit, I can't help myself.

**Twenty Six: Are You Experienced?**

"**W**hat the _hell_ are these things doing in my house?"

Edward stood where he was, seething in the middle of the living room as Mac and the others made themselves comfortable. Jasper was also a bit shocked, standing beside Edward with his hand over his nose. No doubt the smell to them was terrible. But the wolves didn't seem to mind. Without asking, Mac flopped onto the couch, his ankles crossed on one of the arms to the right of the piece of furniture. He put his hands behind his head, smirking at the vampires. "Relax. We're only here for Bella's sake. We don't want her getting captured again, do we?" He looked to the human for affirmation. Bella mindlessly nodded, not sure of where to go with any of this. He turned back to Edward, as though that settled the dispute. But the smug look on his face just made Edward fume even more.

"You take your flee bitten pack out of my house this instant!" he thundered.

"Oh relax," said Nickey, observing a few old pictures on the wall. "After tonight, we'll be gone, and the hunters too."

"Besides, it's not like we want to be here." Tommy glared at Edward from the hallway. "This place smells to high heaven. I'd much rather be back at the reservation."

"Then why don't you go?" Edward snapped. "It'd make everything a whole lot easier. And take this – this _slut_ with you!" Bella felt a sharp pain hit her heart. She was about to bark at Edward, when she saw Pike, Tommy and Jacob jump to his side, the first of the three actually pinning Edward's arm against his back. Jasper, who was very conflicted, took a step back and watched.

"Now why did you have to go and say that?" Pike said smoothly. "Here we are, having a nice conversation when you had to go and call her something nasty."

"If it wasn't for that treaty we have with your family, I'd tare you up right here," Jacob spat.

Bella sighed, sitting down. "It's ok," she said, putting her head into her hands. "Let him go. I don't care anymore." They all looked at one another before releasing the vampire. Things became silent after that, yet no one felt the need to leave the room, despite how tense it was. For a good half hour, they just wondered about, not saying anything. It wasn't until Pike – with his ever shortening attention span – accidentally broke an old statue while tossing it back and forth in a board way that people spoke again. He looked at the splatter beside his feet and looked up.

"Oh... um. Sorry. I... I can pay for that."

"It was made in 1823, in Shanghai," Edward grunted. "No. You can't." Huffing, he walked over and piled all the pieces together, pushing them off to the side. Putting his hands on his hips, Nickey turned to Bella.

"So what are we still doing here?" he asked. "We came to get you, be your body guards. Did you want to go back or not?" Bella stared at him for a moment before turning back to Edward, the reason she came out here in the first place. The vampire looked at her for a second before storming off and heading into his room. Jacob snorted in his direction.

"What a fucking drama queen," he grunted. "I swear, with the way that guy acts, you'd think his problems were the worst in the world."

Bella looked up to Jacob, a bit of guilt riding on her chest. She knew that he was right. Edward was completely overreacting. And he didn't even have the ability to swallow his pride long enough to even talk to her. She was about to say something to Jacob when Jasper cut in.

"You don't know nothin' about him!" he said, stomping his bare foot on the floor. Jacob was taken aback to see the usually quiet vampire speak up like this. "Y-you... you goddamn wolves! Th-think you know everything!" He looked around, a bit afraid of so many strangers, but continued speaking. He turned to Bella. "He missed you every day," he said, speaking earnestly. "I saw. Edward fought Carlisle every step of the way... He tried to get back once or twice before he actually got here..." Jacob took a few steps forward, sitting beside her. His cold hands landed on her own as he looked up to her. "He loves you."

There was a silence. Though she was only looking at Jasper, she could feel the others' eyes burning on the back of her neck. Jasper's face remained unchanged and solid, and Bella could see the honesty in his gaze. How could she deny Edward now? This felt like a huge blow of guilt to her solar plexus, and she slipped her hands away.

"Where's his room?" she asked gently. Jasper pointed up the stairs and said it was the last one at the end of the hall. Standing, Bella turned to glance at Jacob. The shifter didn't even look her way. "I'm going to just... talk to him," she said. Though there was no real reason why she should have to justify her actions. There _should_ be no real reason, anyway. With a nod to herself, she walked up the creaky stairs and to Edward's room. It was much darker, and a great deal colder. Chills ran up her arms, but she ignored them. Taking a breath, she pushed the door open.

Edward room was probably bigger then it appeared to be. Perhaps as big as Alice's room. However, it seemed small and constricted when Bella walked in. That was because it was cluttered from the floor to the ceiling with all sorts of knick nacks and boxes. Old posters from all decades were plastered to his walls. Some were fer movies of the year, others were for rock bands or singers. There was a record collection a mile high, and an old player on the bedside table. There were a few old film reels, a couple aging pieces of jewelry, a rusted tin of base ball cards, some colorful pieces of wrapped candy, which were probably completely inedible by now. Some of the labels she didn't even recognize. There were even dollar bills from the early twentieth century that were probably worth thousands in this day and age. He probably wasn't allowed to take any of this with him when Carlisle moved the family.

Edward was sitting on his bed – which was just a mattress on the floor with no sheets, no covers, and no pillows – fiddling with a Jimmy Hendrix record. He glanced at her before setting _Are You Experienced?_ aside.

"What?" he asked, sliding up to his feet and going over to his small collection of candy. He picked up a few pieces, observing their faded wrapping. "Come to say goodbye? Or that you forgive me?" He turned his sharp, gold eyes in her direction, still scowling.

Bella took a breath. "I'm sorry." Edward paused before turning to look at her. She gripped her hands behind her back, praying that this wouldn't turn into another argument. "I just... When Carlisle said that I was a replacement, I didn't believe him. At first, I mean. And then... I just... I don't know..." She walked over to the record collection, tapping a few spines as she read them off silently. They weren't in alphabetical order, that much was clear. Yet they seemed to strike Bella as being in some kind of unknown order to Edward. She shook her head, a tiny smile on her face. "Good God... Is there anything you don't have?"

Edward walked over, his hands in his pockets. "Yeah," he said, nodding. "_Abba_. To me it's like the musical spawn of Satan. That and _The_ _Carpenters._" That got a bit of a chuckle from Bella as she distracted herself from looking through a few others. He had at least five or six copies of _The Who's "Golden,"_ and every _Beatles_ album known to man. She spotted a signed _Aerosmith _record and picked it up. "You got Steven Tyler's autograph?" she said, reading the scroll.

"Oh yeah," said Edward, nodding. "All of the originals, too. Steven, Joe, Ray, Tom and Joey... Though I think I liked Brad better then Ray..." He tapped the corner of the album. "I saw them in concert once. I had to sneak away while the others were hunting, so I went hungry that week. But it was worth it." Bella nodded, setting it back in its place and turning to the vampire. She smiled kindly, while his diminished. Turning his head, Edward caused Bella to sigh.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked softly. He glanced at her before walking to the middle of his room, rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't know," he admitted. Bella remained silent, staring at his back as he thought about it. "I can't go back to Carlisle... He'd kill me on sight. It's not like I can stay here. This'll be the first place he'll look. And if Jasper's with me, he'll just get in trouble, too." Bella remained quiet. "I guess I can just... maybe go back to Chicago. Or New York."

Bella could feel her breath come to her in sharp, shallow jabs. "Oh... Yeah, I guess that'd be good..." She gripped her hands tightly in front of her, Jasper's words still floating around in her head. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself. She wasn't sure what to say. What could she respond with? Should she ask him how he planned to bring all of his stuff with him? Perhaps he just was going to hijack a U-Haul truck. The image was almost funny. But she didn't feel like laughing. Her eyes blurred up, and she cursed herself for her sudden urge to cry. She made a small noise, her head turned to the floor. "Um... wr-write, ok? A...at least every once in a while.. or call..."

She was loosing it. Bella was loosing her cool. She couldn't help herself. Her insides curled in on themselves, and she almost felt nauseous. She was going to continue, when Edward's cold hands took hold of her shoulders. Blinking, Bella looked up at his face, her eyelashes clinging together with tears. For a moment, it looked like he was going to kiss her, but he pulled away and went back to his music. This added to her heartache, but she said nothing.

"Do you really like him?" Bella blinked at the question, a bit confused. Edward turned to her. "The wolf boy? Jacob Black..."

Even more guilt then before began to take hold of her. He misunderstood... Taking a breath, she began to explain. "I... w-well, he's always liked me. A-and... it'd been months, and you were gone, and I didn't think you'd becoming back and... um..." She put her hand on her mouth, her eyes shut. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Bella... stop." She looked up to see Edward staring intently at the floorboards. "It's my fault that this all happened... I should have... I should have told Carlisle sooner. Then we could have avoided this whole... mess." Bella stared at him for a moment before looking off to the side. She shook her head, wiping her eyes quickly.

"We should get back downstairs." She saw Edward tense and she walked up to him. "I know you guys don't like each other... but it's safer then being alone. It's going to be exciting for the hunters, meaning that they want to kill as much as they can." Carefully, she took his hand with both of her own. "But if you want... you can... you can leave at dusk. You and Jasper both."

Their eyes connected for a moment before Edward patted her hands, looking away. "And what?" He turned back to her, the ghost of his old smile returning. "Leave you to the hands of hungry wolves? I'll stay with you at least until the night is over. I want to make sure you're safe..."

Those words seemed to break her. She closed her eyes, pushing her forehead into his chest. His cold arms wrapped around her body as she was clutched there, the two of them swaying a bit back and forth. After a while, Bella pulled away and wiped her eyes. Edward gave her the faintest of reassuring smiles before leaving the room and shutting the door behind them.

For the rest of the day, the wolves were restless. A few stayed outside to watch the sun, others paced back and forth like caged animals. They all seemed to silently agree that they would be staying in the Cullen house until dark. Bella remained on the couch for the most part. She would have gotten hungry, but couldn't stomach food at a time like this. So she sat, and waited, and dwelled on the night to come with anxiety. Mac and Nickey were really the only ones who did much other then just walk around and be tense. They had pulled out a map of Washington, and seemed to be discussing a plan of escape of sorts in case of any preordained hunter attacks. They had done this many times before, and it showed. Finally, after a long, tension filled day, Tommy ran inside from the outside, his eyes bright.

"Sunset! It's sunset!" This got the wolves up and ready to roll. Jacob elected himself to shift to his wolf form to be ready for the others. The wolves all shed their clothes and headed outside. It was then that a funny thought it her; Since her move to Forks, she had been almost constantly surrounded by naked men. So much so that it was no normal to her. If she wasn't so nervous, she would have laughed. They walked out into the field in front of the house and shook themselves, getting ready. Jasper and Edward stayed in the door frame of their house, watching. Turning his eyes up, Mac watched as the sun set, and the sky became dark. Finally, a cloud shifted, and a silvery orb moved into view.

"It's time."

I know, I know, I'm evil. But we're saving the transformations for the next chapter. Leave those lovely reviews!

~T.


	27. The Game Begins

I know, I know! I've been a bad updater! XD BUT! Exciting news – I won first place at LA Anime's AMV contest in the Action Category! Yay! If you want to see the AMV go to my channel on YouTube (Tprinces) and click the latest video.

Anyway... yes. Sorry I haven't updated in... ten days... heh...

This one may be a super long one... idk... or if I feel like I keep wanting to throw cliffies your way, I may break it up like last time...

**Twenty Seven: The Game Begins**

**T**he lot of them all rushed outside to see that the sun was in fact setting. The wolves, excited that they'd finally be changing, all stood around one another, watching as the silvery moon rose in the sky. Edward and Jasper remained where they were, watching as a metallic blue mist covered the ground. Pike was practically jumping for joy before he went silent. They all tilted their heads forward, their eyes closing. For a moment, nothing happened. And then, Tommy lurched forward, going to his hands and knees in pain. One by one, the wolves dropped to the ground, grunting and holding themselves. Their bodies began to stretch and crack, their faces all stretching out in front of them to form muzzles. Their ears all became pointed, and their legs began to shift grotesquely to form large, rounded thighs and elongated feet. Their spines all pushed out to form the base of a tail, and their teeth enlarged into dangerous looking, pointed fangs. Once the painful and slightly disgusting transformations were finished, they remained on their hands and the balls of their feet, catching their breath. For a brief moment, Bella thought that that was it. But then, fur began to gently fill in on their bodies.

It was soft, silky smooth hair, all in different shades and hues. Mac sprouted a coat of auburn red fur, almost matching his hair color, while Nickey soon had a sheen of platinum yellow – almost white. Fluffy filled out to be a chubby, pleasant looking gray, and Pike and Reiko both developed nice brown coats, Pike with a patch of black over his eye. And Tommy became a sleek ebony wolf, one where the brightness of his blue eyes stuck out dramatically. They all wavered on their hind legs now, their hands naturally curling into claws near their stomachs. Most of them shook out their fur, some scratching others smiling and flickering their ears. They weren't entirely wolf like. They were still as big as they were as humans, and they could still stand up on two legs, and their noises weren't pushed out as dramatically as a regular wolf's. Their faces still resembled that of their original forms, but just enough to look incredibly different. Mac, after having recaptured his balance and his stamina, walked into the middle, reared his head back and howled. The chorus of his underlings quickly followed, a haunting, enchanting song raising into the night. It made Bella's neck hair stand on end.

Once they were finished, Jacob elected to change himself to try and keep a mediation between the wolves and those without fuzzy tails. He seemed so much smaller compared to the others. Bella watched as a few began to romp around, their tongues hanging out. Namely Tommy and Pike. Reiko was looking ready to either give himself a bath or take a nap. It seemed he was lethargic even in wolf form. Bella cleared her throat a bit, watching as Nickey playfully licked at Mac's ear.

"So... what now?" A few of the wolves perked up at her question. Edward carefully walked outside, Jasper still lingering near the house.

"We keep moving," he said simply. "Hunters are likely to catch you if you stay in one place." He turned to Mac. "Isn't that right." The wolf huffed but nodded in agreement. It seemed that they could still understand English. Before Bella knew it, she felt something lift her up beneath her legs. She cried out, quickly grabbing onto whatever was lifting her. When she looked in between her thighs, she saw the furry back of Tommy beneath her, propping her on his curved back. The wolf turned his head and seemed to grin at her reaction, his tongue hanging out like an over friendly dog. Edward growled at this and stomped forward, his eyes irritated. "I'm the one that carries Bella," he snapped, glowering at Tommy. The wolf blinked before baring his teeth, growling dangerously. Jasper walked up to his brother and took the end of his shirt.

"I'd let him carry her this once," he told him. He glared at Tommy before nodding, trudging away. Mac hopped to his feet, before making a sharp sound that reminded Bella of a bark. The others perked and hopped around to reciprocate this action. With that, they all began to run, Jacob and the two vampires included.

Riding a wolf was not nearly as easy as riding a vampire, or riding a shifter-horse, for that matter. She could remember her undulating experience when she was riding Emily, but looking back at it now, she would compare that to a simple bike ride. Tommy not only practically jumped with every step, but he jerked this way and that, making her cling for dear life to his black fur. By the time that they stopped for a break, Bella's lower body was completely numb, and she was out of breath. She put her trembling feet to the ground, and nearly fell if Jasper wasn't quick to keep her up. Jacob trotted over to see if she was ok, and she nodded, not really able to speak. Edward walked forward.

"I'll carry you from now on," said Edward. He turned a cocky eye to Tommy. "If that's ok." The wolf looked at Bella, who was still trembling a bit, and then nodded. Bella was jut about to move to Edward's back, when something caught their attention. The entire group, including the vampires, went still. Bella was the only one who hadn't seemed to hear anything. In a rush, the group jerked forward to try and get away, but not before a snap echoed against the trees. One of Fluffy's legs was snagged with a rope, dragging him towards the darkness. Quickly, Pike rushed to the side of his friend and snapped the rope with his jaws easily, only to be shot at and narrowly dodging a silver bullet. It winged his furry shoulder, spitting out a bit of blood from the bullet. Pike lurched forward, a claw going to his wound as it sizzled from contact with the metal. They could all hear the cocking of unseen guns, and they then realized that this was no time to linger.

Throwing her onto his back, Edward bolted alongside Jasper and the wolves, all of them quickly rushing through the trees. The sounds of weapon fire followed them closely. Too close for Bella's taste. She watched as Jacob jumped from spot to spot between the other wolves, his fur shining brightly in the moonlight. For a moment, it seemed as though they were outrunning the hunters, when the roaring of engines rudely brought them to earth. Bella looked over and saw two pairs of headlights on either side of them, quickly bouncing through the forest that they ran through. No doubt their vehicles had been altered to go the speed of their pray. Bella held Edward's cold neck even tighter, fearful for the outcome of the night. The wolves began leaping sporadically, the vampires mimicking them. They had to, lest a silver bullet fly their way.

Suddenly, Bella felt herself jerk upwards, and nearly fell off of Edward's back. She looked behind her to see the ground rapidly growing smaller. Edward had leapt from below and had begun to climb the trees, Jasper following suit. Finally, they got to the top of the tree, and Bella was set on a thick branch. She took her time to balance herself, latching onto the trunk. Her eyes turned to Edward, and in a shaky voice, she spoke. "What are we doing up here...?" she said weakly. Edward stood on the branch beside her, having no trouble staying where he was. Neither did Jasper.

"We're keeping you out of harms way," said Edward, folding his arms firmly. "This isn't our battle. It's theirs. It's best if we just wait here for a little while."

Bella felt a sharp pang of indignation. She stood, albeit a bit uneasily, and faced Edward. "So, what, we just leave them to fend for themselves? Edward, those are my friends down there. And I know you don't like them, but we can't just – ! Woah...!" She swayed a bit on her branch, quickly hugging her chest to the trunk. Edward frowned at her, moving his hands from his torso to his hips.

"And what do you propose we do?" he asked flatly. "Remember, you were kidnapped once. Human beings aren't soft like we are. Stakes won't really work." Bella blinked, confused.

"Soft?" she repeated. "What do you mean, soft?"

Jasper crouched on the end of the branch that he and his brother stood on, balancing on the balls of his feet. His gray face was turned to Edward. "You haven't explained it to her?"

"Oh... I guess not." Edward leaned against the trunk, hands in his pockets. "When you're turned, the rib cage that's around your heart?" He tapped at the center of his chest. "It softens incredibly. Everything else hardens, but not this part. That's why it's so easy to get to a vampire's heart."

Bella took this into account. Now that she thought about it, whenever they made love, Edward always had an unusually soft spot on his front chest. One that he didn't really let her touch because he said it was sensitive. She looked down to the forest floor, hearing ambient sounds below them. The reality of their situation quickly returned after a brief break, making her feel horrible. She turned back to the vampire in front of her. "We can't just sit here and wait," she said firmly. "We have to... do something. I don't know..." She thought about things for a moment. "How about if Jasper watches me and you go help them? Please?"

Edward huffed. Obviously, he didn't like the idea of helping wolves, but he agreed. He turned to his brother. "Make sure she doesn't try to jump off or something." With that, he easily leapt down into the darkness of the trees. Bella felt a little more relaxed, but not by much. Jasper, sensing her discomfort, easily hopped over to her branch and sat beside her. He smiled, helping her to sit down as well.

"I wouldn't be too worried," he said, kicking his bare feet back and forth in the air. "Wolves are used to hunters chasing them once a month. It's kind of normal."

"I can't help it, Jasper..." Bella put her forehead on the bark of the tree, peering downwards to try and detect her friends. "If anything happens to any of them... I don't know what I'll do." There was a silence before Bella felt a very cold hand lay on top of hers. She turned to Jasper, who was smiling apologetically. The girl let out a defeated sigh. "I need something to take my mind off of things." She shut her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose. A memory came to her. "Jasper... you said that I remind you of your master's daughter, right?" She turned to him. "Tell me about her? Just for a bit?"

Of course, Jasper agreed. He told Bella about how he was bought cheep from a friend of his master. He was young at the time, so he was confined to doing house work. Much better then being out in the fields. There, he began to get to know Bessy, his master's daughter. She was a girl four or five years older them himself at the time. He was eight. She befriended him, made him treats, and even gave him extra blankets to sleep with. When he got into trouble, Bessy would lessen his punishment one way or the other. But, as Jasper grew older, his master began to push him out into the fields, claiming that the domesticated life was making him soft. By the time he was working outside, he was twelve. For two years, he picked and plowed in the hot sun, living in the broken down slave house with the other workers. But this didn't stop Miss Bessy from seeing him. Every Sunday evening, she would visit him in the back of the slave house and give him biscuits she made herself. He had gotten to the age now where he enjoyed just talking. Bessy even taught him how to read a few words here and there. One evening, Bessy didn't come to the slave house. This worried Jasper. Perhaps she was sick? Needed care? He knew that there were slaves to do that, but he couldn't help himself. He slipped away quickly and rushed to the master's house. Knowing how to get to Bessy's upper window, he climbed along the ivy and looked inside, only to see a very drunken fellow man handle his dear friend. Her father must have been having a dinner party, and one of his guests became far too comfortable. Furry like nothing else overtook him, and Jasper lunged himself inside, fighting off the man until his knuckles were bleeding, and his face was beaten. Bessy retained her innocence, but Jasper was beaten within an inch of his life for attacking a white man. It was only because of Bessy that his life wasn't taken. But he could no longer stay at his master's ranch. So, he was shipped off to be resold, when he escaped. That's when he found the three vampire women who offered him freedom.

Jasper's story was interrupted by loud bangs beneath them. Bella jumped a foot in the air, and would have fallen if Jasper didn't catch her arms. She looked down to see flashes of lights coming from several different guns. Bella saw a flash or two of faces and cars, but didn't get to see much as Jasper pulled her onto his back. "We can't stay here... it's too dangerous." He jumped to a couple of trees before finally stationing himself on one. He sat Bella down and flashed an innocent smile to her. Bella was about to thank him, when what felt like an earthquake ravaged their tree.

Bella gasped, an explosion quickly making itself known at the base of their sanctuary. Jasper grabbed her quickly and was about to jerk her away, when a limb came out of no where, knocking them away from one another. She grabbed on whatever she could, feeling splinters and fractured bark entered her skin. Gravity yanked her through a great many branches, tossing and turning her like a shirt in a dryer. She finally grabbed onto a branch mid way down, but by that time the tree was three feet away from the earth below. She quickly launched herself to the side, rolling the minute she hit the ground. Bella pushed herself up on shaky arms, her body throbbing with pain.

"Bella...?" Jasper looked around, quickly trying to find her.

"Here...!" she called out weakly. Her voice stopped short, unfortunately, as a thick boot stepped into her view. A hunter, tall and dark skinned, held up a modernized cross-bow with an arrow tipped with silver. He pointed it straight at what Bella could only assume to be Jasper's head. Bella was bringing up just enough breath to scream out to try and warn him, when a beast like noise filled the air. Before she knew it, she saw the hunter get thrown across the way and hit a tree roughly, falling to the ground, unconscious. Bella stared at him before looking up, and seeing Mac come into view. His fangs were bared and his red fur was mucked with bits of mud and blood. Jacob came in soon after, the fur along his spine standing on end. Seeing Bella on the ground, Jacob sprinted to her side, sniffing around her and gently nudging her cheek. Bella then realized that her arm was bleeding.

"I'm ok," she said softly. Mac walked over and helped her to her feet. Bella felt absolutely tiny and meek compared with the large creature. She thanked him and turned just in time to see Jasper walking forward.

"Thank you for..." He trailed off, his eyes going wide. They tilted forward, spotting the bursted vein on Bella's arm. The blood reflected the moonlight, the smell of it probably very potent for the vampire. Bella realized this and tried to cover it, but it was too late. Jacob threw himself backwards, slamming his spine into a tree and covering his lips with both hands. He trembled, his golden eyes staring straight at the wound. Bella could see them start to loose focus, and his breaths began to come out in harsh growls. Bella slowly backed off, Mac and Jacob getting in front of her. Jasper shut his eyes tightly, trying to control himself. Realizing it'd be better if she was away from him, Bella turned and attempted to run, only to fall over one of the tree's fallen branches. She tumbled to the ground, now throughly battered and throbbing. She heard a primal growl and looked up to see Jasper darting straight for her. He was held back by the two wolves, who pinned him firmly on the base of a tree. Bella had never seen a vampire who was insane with bloodlust. It was frightening.

The kind, baby faced boy she knew and loved was gone. In his place was a monster. One that had fangs that were far larger then normal, and snapping at her. His eyes had lost all color, and had resorted to becoming huge, white orbs of nothing. His jaw was unhinged much like a snake's, and he was hissing and struggling roughly against the others' hold. Bella drew herself back to her feet, nearly petrified with fear from Jasper's demonic face. She watched as Jasper kicked Jacob half way across the area, and then began to claw at Mac's arms to try and let him go.

"EDWARD!" Bella cried out. Only he could control his brother, she knew that. Jasper was nearly out of Mac's grasp when a flash of wind nearly knocked her off balance a second time. Edward had appeared before her eyes, and quickly rushed to Jasper. Pulling up his sleeve, he held out his arm and practically shoved it into Jasper's mouth. Controlled by only his want for blood, Jasper bit into Edward's arm and began to drink. Edward shot his eyes towards Mac, who was drawing back and panting, as was Jacob.

"Get her out of here," he demanded roughly. "I've got him... Just get her out of here!"

With a nod, Mac went to Bella and took her on his shoulders. She clung to him, giving Edward and Jasper one last look before being taken away. Jacob caught up to them quickly, the two sprinting their way through the trees. Mac was a great deal easier to ride then Tommy, which was a relief for Bella's already aching body. She pushed her face into his fur, letting her frantic heart calm. Finally, they came to a halt, and Bella was given a break. Nickey bent down and set Bella to her feet. Sniffing at her arm, Mac reached forward and tore a bit of her jacket from her. Bella was about to protest, when she saw him sloppily begin to tie the wound closed. She touched it before smiling and kissing the wolf on the nose.

"Thank you," she said. Without thinking about it much, she scratched him behind the ear. The Irish wolf put on what seemed to be a smile and wagged his tail, much like a happy dog. He then perked up, Jacob also going alert, as they both turned to their right. Nickey soon came into view, propping Tommy up, who seemed to have a broken leg. Mac immediately went to tend to his underling, as the padding footsteps of the other wolves soon joined them. Reiko had a heavy slash above his eye, and Fluffy was limping a bit, but everyone seemed in tact. Leaving Tommy to his leader, Nickey walked up to Bella, sniffing her arm. She assured him that she was all right, patting his head out of habit. Nickey still didn't seem convinced, and he gently took her arm to examine it. Bella watched him look at the limb, until his ears perked up. There was a sudden shift in the wind, as Mac stood fully erect.

Without warning, Mac bolted for Nickey, pushing him and Bella both out of the way just as a gunshot sounded.

For a split second, Bella saw stars. She had been pushed around and tugged about all night long, and she was starting to go numb because of it. She heard the faintest sounds of a man crying out, and a few unpleasant noises, but not much else. With a heavy body, she lifted her head, her eyes starting to regain focus. The first thing she saw was two forms, one laying down and one standing over the other. Then, she realized, it was Nickey and Mac. Nickey was carefully looking over the latter, who didn't seem to be moving. A horrible thrill shot through her body as she got to her knees. Just as she stood to her shaky feet, Nickey fell from his. She could see his eyes gloss over with tears, his hands shaking as he held them up. Leaning forward, Nickey pressed his paw to Mac's shoulder. It got no reaction. He shook his leader, and still Mac did nothing. Nickey leaned forward even more and gently licked the tip of Mac's nose. Not even his eye twitched.

Despite his furry outer shell, Bella could see poor Nickey's heart breaking through his face. A pained look came over his features, his large hands gripping Mac tightly. He shook him over and over again, making a few noises in the process. The others stared in silence, Fluffy having just taken care of the hunter who shot previously. He began to whimper, his ears laying flat against his skull. Finally, he brought Mac's limp body into his arms and whimpered like a wounded pup. Tommy also had a shocked, pain look on his own face. He sat on his good leg, his other laying lamely to the side. Lifting his head up, he howled.

It wasn't long before everyone, including Jacob and Nickey himself, was howling at the moon. Bella wasn't sure what to do. Her eyes were burning at the loss of her dear friend... And after all he had gone through. After his painful rejection and loneliness, now that he had found a family again, found love... why? Why? That word kept repeating itself as she stood there, unable to move. _Why?_

The grieving moment was cut short as the Jeeps and vehicles the hunters used drove up and around the wolves, encasing them in their cluster. Nickey shot his blazing eyes to the hunters, all of whom were loading their guns and getting ready to fire. The wolves growled as one, each and every one of them willing to avenge their alpha. Nickey in particular was vicious looking, Mac's lifeless body clutched close to his own. And then, the unthinkable happened. Even more unthinkable then Mac's death, or Jasper's blood lust. When one of the hunters opened fire, something blocked their bullets.

That something was the stone body of Emmett Cullen.

I know, cliff hanger. But I don't want to give you guys too much in one chapter. Review!

~T.

PS – if you want to read TTR in German, go tolittlepanimausi's page and click _Twilight the Rewrite - Biss zum nächsten Morgengrauen. _It's pretty awesome XD


	28. Reinforcements

Hey everyone. So i'm back to updating on the weekends. Albeit i'm still behind the schedule that i'd like to keep but... grr...

Also, just a heads up. I just got a job (yay me) and so I can't help my mother with helping my grandfather recuperate from his knee surgery. Therefore, my mom needs to take my laptop in order to continue billing clients and running her business while she's away. so... i'll try to finish the story by then, but if not, you probably won't get an update from me for a week and a half.

And really? Four reviews? … I thought with Mac's death i'd get a little more then that, fellas. I guess it's my consequence for being tardy lately. Oh well.

**Twenty Eight: Reinforcements **

**A**t first, Bella couldn't believe her eyes. Emmett was standing a mere ten feet away from her, his body made of stone, stopping the bullets that were fired. When the ammo stopped, Emmett returned to his fleshy self, shaking out his body. He gave a booming laugh, his hands on his hips. "Well this should be fun!" he said brightly. "We haven't dealt with hunters in a long time!" He tilted his head up. "Have we... Father?" As if on cue, everyone turned their eyes up to the trees. There, circling around them, was the entire Cullen family. Carlisle and Esme, Rosalie and Alice, even Jasper and Edward sat above them, glaring down at the hunters, all of whom were starting to grow antsy. One of them very foolishly lifted his gun up to try and fire at Carlisle. But he had barely started to shoot when a sharp streak knocked him down. Alice stood over him, her fangs gleaming and her eyes burning brightly. He cried out in fear, tilting the gun up to shoot her, when she broke it in half with one tug. Then, she dove down, shoving her fangs deeply into the hunter's neck. The man screamed, his eyes wide with fear and his legs flailing.

Bella couldn't bare to watch. Instead, she turned away to look at the others. Alice and the hunter were the only ones who moved. Everyone else was too tense to do so. Finally, Carlisle and the others leapt from their places, landing easily on the ground near the wolves. Carlisle turned to the head hunter Julian, his eyes as sharp as his revealed fangs. He walked forward without fear, the gurgling sound of the hunter dying echoing in the background. Julian smirked, his hands tightening on the gun. "Am I in the presence of the infamous Cullen Clan? One of the few peace keepers known to the underworld?"

"You are," said Carlisle stiffly. His eyes went to his "daughter" and he sniffed. "Alice." She looked up, her face dripping with blood and bits of flesh. "That's enough dear. He's dead." Alice's long tongue wrapped around her chin and lips, sopping up the blood, before pulling back to where Carlisle stood. She grinned, a bit of red still dribbling from her face. The others were obviously having a hard time keeping away from the bloody mess of human remains, except for Jasper, who had fed previously that night. Bella would have been fearful at the recent memory, but after watching Alice, she classified Jasper's blood lust as a mere fit. Carlisle brought her attention back down to Earth.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," said Carlisle simply. "We keep the peace as much as we possibly can between vampires and humans, but as you've just witnessed, we have no problem taking action when needed." He held his hand out to Alice, who licked her lips as though she was still hungry. Behind Julian, some of the hunters cocked their weapons.

"We have no problems with you, blood sucker," he said lowly.

"On the contrary," Carlisle continued. "We have laid claim to this land as our territory. Not only that, but we have an upstanding treaty with the natives here. By simply being here, you are infringing on that treaty. And we cannot allow you to do that."

The hunter stared at him for a moment, the wind gently pushing back Carlisle's pale bangs. Julian's eyes suddenly darted to Bella's direction. She was about to move away when Carlisle spoke again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Carlisle simply. Julian turned to him, his lips parting. "Kidnapping the girl would do nothing but make a few of us even angrier. And seeing as how you killed one of the wolves' mates, I don't think you can afford it."

Julian laughed, though Bella could see sweat beneath his neck. Why was he so terrified all of the sudden? Perhaps because he now knew that they were out numbered? That could be the only reason Bella could think of. She looked around. Almost everyone was locked into the conversation between the hunter and the vampire. Her eyes forcefully took her to the dead man's body. A grenade was laying, untouched, at his side. She quickly looked to one of the vehicles. If she could grab it, maybe put it into the trunk of one of the Jeeps, it would be enough to catch the hunters by surprise. She waited for the two to start talking again before moving.

"So you're a mind reader, eh?" Julian asked, his hand gripping tightly to his gun. Bella began to slink into the shadows as Carlisle affirmed this accusation. She could hear them continue to go on as though things were civil and pleasant. She wondered what they were all thinking. Of course, Carlisle would know. As she approached the carcass, the stench of death was sharp within the air. It made her want to gag, but she refrained. She slid behind a tree, peeking out. Edward and Jacob had both seen her move, but remained where they were to keep up appearances. Though Bella could see the warning in Edward's eyes. No doubt pleading with her to remain where she was. She ignored this. Instead, she laid on her belly and began to slither towards the dead man. The grenade was mere inches away. Her stomach churned in on itself, twisting and tying in many different knots. She reached out to grab it, when a bullet tore through the top of her skin.

She cried out, clutching her arm to her chest. In a quick rustle, she heard the group suddenly break formalities and start to go after one another. She opened her tearing eyes, watching as the vampires and wolves both leapt into action, the hunters firing at anything they could. The yells of pained humans were many, but the wolves and the vampires alike were far too quick for any bullet to hit them. Bella felt two furry claws grab her by the stomach, pulling her upwards. She looked up to see that Pike had tossed her over her shoulder, and was prepared to get away. "Wait! We can't just leave!" Blood was falling from her arm like a slow river as she kept pressure to the burning wound. He ignored her and continued to run, the wind pushing her hair this way and that. Suddenly –

"Wrah!" Pike let out a cry as ropes seemed to come out of nowhere, yanking him up in some sort of trap. Bella fell from his shoulder, rolling to the ground.

"Pike!" Bella tried to yank at the ropes, but they were too tough for her. She looked up to hear cries and shouts from where they had left. Glancing at her furry friend, she quickly said sorry before bolting back to the fight. Her arm had stopped bleeding by now, and she quickly wiped away her skin, hoping none of the vampires would smell it. She sprinted until she got behind a tree, peeking out at the battle. Despite being outnumbered, the humans were putting up a pretty decent fight. Bella watched as one of the hunters got a good swipe at Rosalie, a metal cross tipped with a sharpened blade in his hand. Bella quickly turned her eyes back to the dead hunter. Teetering on her feet, she took a breath and ran for the weapon. She could hear gunfire and snarling as she ran, but she tried to ignore it. She then dove for the ground, just in time to feel something whoosh against the back of her hair. Looking up, she saw one of the hunters be thrown over her body and into a tree. Ignoring it, Bella grabbed the grenade and bolted for one of the Jeeps. The trunk was open a bit, so she grabbed it to pull it upwards. Just as she was about to take the pin from the weapon, she felt a hand grab her. Looking up, she saw a hunter point a gun right to her cheek. The man's face was half torn from his body.

"Little bitch..." he growled. He pulled Bella into his chest, shoving the gun into her temple. "OY! I've got yer pet!" Gritting her teeth together, Bella moved quickly. She kneed the man sharply in the groin, before knocking away his gun and turning back to the Jeep. Without thinking, she pulled the pin and threw it into the trunk. She quickly closed the lid and ran.

"TAKE COVER!" she screamed through the night. She watched as a few scampered away, just as a huge explosion echoed through the night air. The force of the blast knocked her to the ground. Beaten, bruised and broken, Bella propped herself up on trembling arms, coughing and trying to remain awake. Her entire body was throbbing with pain as she sat there, praying this was over soon. Just as she was getting to her feet, she felt something take her hair and yank her head back. Foul breath hit her cheek and she winced. A cold blade was resting now on her throat.

"You're more trouble then you're worth," he grumbled. Just as he was about to slit Bella's throat, he yelled, rearing back. Bella looked to see Jacob with his teeth sunk deeply into the man's leg. The hunter tried to shake him off, yelling and hitting him over and over again. He had pulled out a hand gun, ready to shoot him between the eyes, when Edward flashed out of nowhere. Without a word, he gripped his wrist and broke it, the loud snap echoing against the trees. He screamed, his eyes wide. Sliding over to his neck, Edward gripped the man's head and turned it so sharply, that yet another snap was heard. Soon, the hunter fell, dead. Jacob released his leg and then went over to join the fight again. Edward turned to Bella, his eyes ablaze. He quickly went over to her, lifting her into cradling arms. He jumped upwards, landing them both safely in the trees above. He sat her down, his eyes glancing at her open wound. She could see self restraint in his eyes as he tore off a piece of clothing and wrapped it around her forearm. Now she had two make-shift bandages on her limbs. Edward looked to her.

"It shouldn't take too long," he remarked softly. He turned his eyes down to the fight. "They weren't expecting a hoard of vampires." Bella remained silent, staring at Edward. He had killed that hunter without any sign of hesitation. She could remember only a year ago when she was convinced that he would not hurt a fly. She supposed she was wrong. Taring her eyes away, she stared at the fray. Indeed, he was correct. The hunters were now far outnumbered and outgunned. Only three were left standing, two were injured to the point of not being able to walk, and four were missing limbs. All the rest were dead. Julian, who now had a bloody hole where his left eye once was, panted as the others circled around he and his men. He licked his chapped lips before holding up a hand.

"It seems... that we are... outmatched." He gripped his face tightly, seeming to barely be able to stay on his feet. He grinned bitterly at the vampire Carlisle. "We shall leave now... forgive our... intrusion." His eye darted over to where Nickey was. The wolf was spattered with blood, though he refused to leave his dead lover's side. "But... this is not the last you've seen of us... wolf. We shall be back again... and again... until every one of you is dead."

Nickey growled, his hair standing on end. Like a dangerous dog, he barked at him, his tail standing erect. Julian laughed before turning to his men. Limping and wounded, they piled into the two cars that they had left, and drove away into the night, which was slowly becoming day.

"Come," said Carlisle. "I shall tend to your wounds at my home." With that, Carlisle lead the others towards the Cullen estate. No one dared appose the idea, or even speak for that matter.

Though the battle was over, there was still so much more to come.

A bit of a smaller climax then the last one... but I think it fits. Leave those reviews!

~T.


	29. Aftermath

Hi, hi everyone! So yeah... I'm finally back. I'm still trying to decide on names for Eclipse. I'm thinking about "Eclipsing Eclipse," but I don't know... what do you guys think?

**Twenty Nine: Aftermath**

**S**ilence was deafening.

They all limped their way back to the Cullen estate, wounded and bruised, but not saying a word. Bella was carried on Edward's back, something that she hadn't experienced in a very long time. The wind, as cold as it was in the very early morning, wasn't quite as bracing as one might think. It was, instead, comforting. She had no idea how much she had sweated that night. Now that cool air was gently hitting her face, she was able to relax and get her heart rate back to normal. The group headed inside the Cullen house, and then made their way to the living room. The wolves had taken up their clothes and brought them inside. Once they were all settled, the pack began to revert to their human forms. After which, they slowly dressed. All but two.

Off in the corner, ignoring his clothes, was Nickey. He was curled up against the wall, cradling Mac in his arms. He was not crying. Instead, he just stared at Mac's face, his hand very softly petting his ginger hair. Mac had changed as well, and now had a bloody bullet hole within his chest. The rest of the pack stared at the two, though no one dared interrupt Nickey's thoughts. Not even the vampires.

Bella was sat on the couch by Edward, who had a rapidly healing cut on his left brow. Carlisle currently was tending to Tommy's broken leg, wrapping it within a splint. Even now that they were all together, with the crisis averted, no one spoke. In a way, Bella wished that someone would say _something_. Anything would be better then this painful silence.

Once Carlisle had patched up the wolves, Jacob included, he went to Bella and examined her. He asked her questions just as any physician would. How many fingers was he holding up? Did she feel numb or dizzy anywhere? Did anything hurt? Bella was glad that nothing other then the bullet wounds were wrong with her. If she had been lying, she didn't know what he would do. After the exam, he removed the cloth bandages and replaced them with regular gauze, dabbing a bit of alcohol on both wounds. Bella had a feeling this was the first time he had used it. At least in his own home.

"You're one lucky girl," he commented. Though it didn't sound like a complement. He stood and brushed off his hands. His eyes turned sharply to Edward, who stood off in the distance. The man looked too frustrated and angry to even speak. Edward kept his eyes anywhere but on his father. Carlisle walked up to him. He wasn't out of control angry like when Edward first told him about them. Still, this stoic, fuming silence was perhaps ten times worse. "Well?" he asked softly. Edward said nothing. A disgusted look came to Carlisle's face. His eyes darted to Bella, though he said nothing. Obviously, Edward had thought something to do with her. Esme stepped forward and put a hand on Carlisle's arm, her eyes closing. He turned to her, listening to her thoughts. He let out a deflated breath before rubbing his eyes. "I know... I know he's still part of our clan, Esme." Carlisle let his hand drop a bit before staring at Bella. She did her best to keep her mind blank.

"So what now?" Everyone turned to Edward, who now stared at Carlisle with a bit of defiance in his eyes. Carlisle himself turned to look at his son. "Are you going to take me away again? Keep me from Forks for as long as possible?"

Carlisle cocked an eyebrow. "Why should I?" he said softly. "You yourself think you came here for nothing. Isn't that right?" He didn't respond. Bella felt something clench within her and he looked away. Behind her, Jacob walked forward, placing one hand on her shoulder. She didn't take it, but she didn't push it away, either. What mess she had gotten herself into...? Her eyes trailed back up to where Nickey and Mac sat. She instantly felt regret and anger at herself for being so narrow minded. Had she already forgotten what had happened to her friend.

Without a word, Bella stood and walked forward. She wanted to comfort Nickey. To hug him and tell him that she'd be there for him. But just as she got within a few feet, she felt Fluffy put a hand on her arm. She looked up, the wolf shaking his head. Bella was confused, but she did not advance any further. Instead, she was walked back to the couch by Jacob, who clutched her hand. All of this... it was so overwhelming. So much so that it was hard for her to think. She attempted to put things in order.

What comes first was obviously Mac's death. What would Nickey do now that he was gone? She could only imagine what that must feel like for the man. Yet it seemed unwise to bother him then. She wished that there was something she could do, but nothing came to mind. Helplessly, her thoughts returned to the situation at hand.

The Cullens were back – all of the Cullens. Jasper had told her that Edward had missed her every day they were apart. Had that really been true? Then again... he had been in a completely different side of the story. The opposing end. To Bella, who had been given close to no information or warning, the abruptness of the situation had caused her to think that Edward might possibly never come back. Edward, on the other hand, was more then likely filling his days with ways of returning. This thought caused a bitter pain to engulf her. She was so ashamed of herself, she couldn't stand it. Slowly, she slipped her hand away from Jacob's and sat down, looking at Edward with apologetic eyes.

_I'm sorry_, she wanted to say. _I'm so sorry..._ She repeated the thought over and over again, unable to stop herself from thinking anything but those words. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him that so badly. But her voice refused to function. So instead, she sat, and stared, unable to do a thing. Bella forgot that she was in the presence of a mind reader until Carlisle's voice brought her out of her own mind.

"It has been a long night," he said. For the first time, Carlisle looked defeated, weak almost. The circles beneath his eyes were even more distinct then they were before. He looked at the rest of his family, who remained quiet. "We should all get some rest. I... have a lot to think about." He turned to Jacob, who still stood close to Bella. "You should probably take her back to the reservation. Some of your friends should clean up the mess before the authorities get wind of this. Apologize to your father for me." With that, Carlisle turned, heading upstairs and out of sight. The others followed suit, one by one leaving the living room. Edward was the last to go. They gave each other one last look before the vampires returned to their rooms for slumber. Bella felt a hand on her back and looked up to Jacob, who helped her to her feet.

"Let's go." With a wordless nod, Jacob walked Bella from the house and to his truck. The others would deal with themselves however they saw fit. She was given a jacket to curl up in as Jacob started the truck. Bella's gaze went hazy as they drove through the trees. It was overcast that day, with only a few bits of cloud opening here and there. Funny... things had seemed so clear just a day or so ago. The passing trees and shrubs soon became nothing more then green streaks, blurring quickly past the window. She let her forehead rest on the cool glass, allowing herself to calm a bit. Bella barely noticed when they got into town. And only vaguely registered Jacob's questioning of if she was hungry.

"Hm?" She looked up through tired eyes. "Oh. No, not really."

He nodded, his eyes on the road. "Me neither." They continued onward in silence, the sound of the truck the only one between them.

What would happen now? What could possibly be in store for them? Not just she, Jacob and Edward, but the Cullens, and the wolf pack as well? And what about Charlie? Or her friends at school? Her mind retraced itself back to Mac's death. True, she was fairly certain that Jessica and Mike weren't Frankenstein monsters or mummies or something of the like... but just by being in contact with Bella, they were in danger. Hell, they've _been_ in danger a few times in the past because of her. What if the next person to go was Angela? Or Eric? How could Bella forgive herself if anything happened to anyone else? And what of the shifters? Of Emily or Sam or Quil or Embry... All of them were always at risk of death or injury... Maybe not necessarily because of her, but the mere fact was mind numbing. It caused her to grow blank until they arrived back at La Push.

Trance like, Bella got out of the truck and walked straight upstairs to the guest room. Bellow, she could hear Jacob's voice float upwards, explaining to his father everything that happened. Sleep called to her as she trudged forward, focusing hard on not collapsing to the floor. She slid into the room, closing the door behind her and flopping onto the bed.

The room was cold. She felt like she did not feel safe there. She didn't feel safe anywhere anymore. She hugged herself, feeling the gauze beneath her hands. Her feet slowly kicked off her shoes as she crawled in between the sheets, pressing her temple to the cool pillow. Outside her window, the sun's rays gently spilled from the sky above, creating sections of golden sunlight that scattered all about the reservation. The sea gently swayed just beyond it, breaking harshly against the rocks. Yet the only sound Bella could hear was the faintest of crashes. She wished everything was like that. So far away, and so simple. Waves always went one direction. Always hitting with the same force. Always singing the same song. It was so easy for waves...

Slowly, her heavy eyelids fell, and she sank into slumber. Her dreams were haunted by the fearsome images of death and destruction. She would wake and sleep in a strange pattern, getting only a few hours in between a startling and sudden jerk. Her eyes would not close without letting her see some horrid image. First, it was the reenactment of Mac's death. Then, it was Charlie's dead corpse that filled her mind. Soon after, Reneé was dead. And then Jessica and Mike. Eric and Angela and Tyler. Jacob. And finally, Edward.

After having about five of these death dreams, she clutched her pillow to her face and finally broke out into tears, muffling the sobs with the fabric of her pillow.

So yeah... This is the second to last chapter D: le gasp! _New New Moon_ is almost finished!

Leave those reviews!

~T.


	30. Her Choice

Hey everyone. So I decided to update quickly instead of leaving you guys for too long.

**Thirty: Her Choice**

**T**he day of Mac's funeral was wet. It had rained that morning, but let up near the afternoon, which is when they decided to bury him. In Bella's opinion, the world was crying. She, the remainders of the pack, and a handful of shifters all headed up to the forest to hold it. The wolves carried him, wrapped up in a thick blanket. Nickey told them that Mac wouldn't have wanted to go in a box. They walked at a slow, respectful pace, a mist clinging to their faces as they walked. No one brought umbrellas. Bella couldn't speak for anyone else, but as for herself, the feeling of rain would be comforting. The sound of gravel mushing into mud followed them as they went, no one making eye contact. They ascended up the hill until they were deep within the woods. Sam and his shifters cleaned up a good portion of the carnage from the fight, before the authorities were made aware of what had happened. Bella thought about Charlie. How blissfully unaware he was to everything. She would give anything to have that kind of ignorance.

The burial site was chosen just beside a little stream, one where the summer wild flowers were blooming, even in the rain. True, the summer was almost over, but Bella hoped with all her might that they would stay, at least for a little while longer. They made such a pretty place to rest. After setting Mac's body on the ground, Pike, Reiko and Fluffy began to dig a hole with the spades they were given at the reservation. Nickey kept Tommy balanced on his crutch, the boy's leg now with a plaster cast on it. They all watched as the dirt piled up to the side of the hole, a drop of rain sometimes splashing their heads. It took a good hour until the hole was deep enough. No one complained about the length in time.

After the hole was dug, the three wolves scrambled out and stood. Everyone turned to Nickey, who looked right back. As second in command when Mac was alive, Nickey would now assume responsibilities as the alpha of the group. But Bella had a feeling that wasn't why they were staring at him. He turned to Tommy, who nodded and let his new leader go. Nickey removed himself from Tommy's side and walked to the bundled blanket near the hole. Slowly, he knelt beside it. No one spoke as he pulled back the corner of the blanket. Mac's face, devoid of color, sat beneath. His lips were chapped, his ghostly complexion allowing his freckles to stick out even more so then before.

Nickey's hand moved out, touching his cold cheek. Leaning forward, he placed his lips on Mac's eye, letting them linger for a moment before doing the same to the other eye. He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear before laying the blanket back over his head. The others took that as a sign to move. Carefully, they picked Mac's body up, and walked him to the hole in the ground. They dug their heals into the earth so as not to fall in, and gently lowered him. Some of the shifters helped to keep them steady. Soon, his body was laying on the bottom of the six foot hole that was dug. Taking their shovels, the three wolves began to put on the dirt, one by one. Bella's eyes went to Nickey, who once more stood beside Tommy.

He didn't cry. He stood there, stone faced and silent, watching his lover be buried. Bella didn't realize before just how strong Nickey was. How could he move on from this? She knew that he couldn't be soft anymore. He couldn't show weakness at all, to be strong for the others. They needed him to lead them, or fall apart trying. Leaving Jacob's side, of whom she held onto the entire time, and walked over to her friend. The wolf turned his dull eyes over to her. Without a word, she embraced him.

"I'm so sorry," she said, feeling tears well in her eyes. For a moment, he did nothing. Then, he gently took her token of sympathy, gripping behind her shirt. Tommy softly pet his back, watching the young man with empathetic eyes. Bella could tell by their redness that he had been crying all night. She assumed it would be the equivalent of loosing a parent. When the hug was over, Nickey gave her a little smile, patting her shoulder.

"I'll be all right," he said, his voice softer then usual.

Bella took his hand with two of her own. "Are you sure?" she asked. Nickey nodded, turning to continue watching the dirt being piled on.

"Yes," he said simply. "I'm sure." He let out a sigh, running his fingers through his platinum hair. "We can survive through this. Mac wouldn't want us to mope around, you know?" He tilted his head up to the sky, watching as the rain began to start up again. Not very hard, just a light drizzle. Nickey let it hit his face, running down his cheeks. "Besides... He's not really gone, I guess."

Bella looked up as well. "You think so?" she asked.

Nickey nodded. "Of course... people can tell you as much mumbo-jumbo shit as you can take. I don't think he's in some kind of heavenly paradise... and I highly doubt he's floating around somewhere shouting 'boo.'"

Bella blinked at his explanations. "Well... then why don't you think he's really gone?"

Turning, Nickey gave Bella a gentle smile. He laid his hand upon his heart. "He was my mate. My other half... It really doesn't matter what you believe. I could think he'll be coming back as a cockroach for all that I care. He'll never leave me." He turned back to the grave, watching as Pike began to even out the dirt atop his grave. Once things were finished, they began to lay flowers on the dirt mound. Bella included. One by one, they began to leave, saying their goodbyes to the wolf. Suddenly, Bella felt her neck hair prickle. Turning, she spotted a figure hiding behind one of the trees. She looked over to the funeral party, who were busy with themselves. With a heavy heart, she left, walking up a slant of earth to the boy who watched them. Edward remained still as she approached.

He wore his old, black hoodie, his hands in his pockets. He and Bella looked at one another before she spoke. "Thanks for coming," she said softly. "I'm sorry you didn't really know him all that well..."

Edward just shrugged, tapping a bit of dirt with his shoe. He looked past her and she turned to watch. Nickey was speaking to his pack, obviously telling them how things were going to work from now on. No one seemed to argue with him. Bella turned back to Edward, her eyes sad. "Nickey is going to have the hardest time," she said softly, hugging her arms. She turned her eyes to the floor. "Mac was his mate."

There was a silence between them. After a moment, Edward spoke. "It's... tough to loose someone you love." Bella looked up as he stared at her. Was he talking about Annabell... or her? She wasn't sure. Although... looking back at the dilemma now, she supposed that the thought of her being a replacement didn't hurt as much as it was numbing. Her heart was all ready so low within her, nothing more could really make it lower. Edward stared at her for a moment more before touching his fingers to her cheeks. There was a soft, apologetic look in his eye. Bella did nothing. His cold fingers slid back as his palm landed on her cheek. Without a word, he slowly leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Bella pulled away.

Confused, Edward let his hand fall to her shoulder. Bella leaned back against the tree, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. She looked up to him. "I can't... Edward, I can't do this right now."

Edward stared at her incredulously, before hardening a bit. He looked over to the burial ground. "Is it because of him?" Bella turned to see what he was talking about. Jacob was staring at them both, as though he could hear every word they were saying. Bella looked at her friend for a moment before turning back to Edward.

"No," she said softly. "I'll tell him the same thing." She laid a hand along her forehead, trying to calm her buzzing brain. "I just..." She looked at him, her eyes tired. "There's a lot I have to think about." Edward nodded in understanding, and didn't stop her as she began to walk away. She shoved her hands into her pockets, letting her eyes hang low. Jacob went to her side, holding out his hand for her to take. She looked at it for a moment before turning, and walking by herself down the hill.

Alone.

TO BE CONTINUED IN... _ECLIPSING ECLIPSE__._

COMING SOON TO A FANFICTION SITE NEAR YOU!

So, here we are. It's been a great second run. Final thoughts? Questions? I hope you've enjoyed yourselves! Be prepared for the third one! And leave those lovely reviews!

~T.


	31. ECLIPSING ECLIPSE PREVIEW

**ECLIPSING ECLIPSE PREVIEW  
**

**One: Simplicity**

**T**he gunshot was loud. Not only was it loud, but it lasted. It rang against her eardrums, hanging onto one excruciating note for hours. She wanted to stop it. She wanted to cover her ears and make it go away. But she had no movement in her arms. She began to feel wet. Was it raining? She looked upwards, staring at the gray sky. Raining... yes... raining. She prayed that the storm would drown out the horrid gun shot. It never did. A cold chill ran up her spine and she clutched herself. Then, yet another noise added to the horrible symphony. A scream... not of fear, but of sorrow. Someone was weeping. She searched quickly, remaining where she was. Two figures. Far away. She tried to move, but her body was so heavy... like lead. Weighed down, she groped and stretched, dragging her feet, yelling at them to run. She needed to help whoever it was. She tried to call out, but her voice didn't work. Finally, after prying and scrambling, she made it to their sides. The wailing grew louder, as the one cradling the second figure moaned out in anguish. She couldn't tell who they were, as their backs were turned to her. Her heart began to speed up. She needed to see who these people were. She _needed_ to. She pushed herself further, as though she was walking through a deep pool of water. Slowly, she was able to make out the faces of the people before her. The first was her father. He was screaming, sobbing in agony. His face was read and his mouth hung open as he wailed. Slowly, her eyes trailed to the person he held in his arms.

Her own bloody, dead face stared back at her.

Isabella Swan awoke with a sudden jolt, her face sweaty and her eyes staring up at the ceiling. Her chest rose and fell with jagged breaths, her hands squeezing her blankets so tightly that her knuckles turned white. It took her a while, but slowly, her body relaxed. Almost dreading to find out, Bella turned to look at her clock. It was half past three in the morning. A deflated sigh came from her lungs as she sat up, wiping her face of sweat and tears. Her hands were sore from gripping the sheets. With an aching body, Bella slid from her bed and trudged into the bathroom. She splashed her face with water and allowed her forehead to press against the mirror.

How many times had she had that dream? If it didn't terrify her so much, Bella would have found the repetition irritating. Each night it was different. A different victim, a different mourner. But always two people. Never more, never less. She had started to have the dream after Nickey's pack left Forks. She said very few parting words to the wolves... At the time she thought it best. Now she was starting to think that perhaps it was wrong of her to stay so silent.

Five months ago, things had been so simple. Maybe not by the everyman's standard, but simple for her. She had a boyfriend who cared for her, a best friend who stood by her... Things became complicated the day she turned eighteen. She had begged and pleaded her boyfriend – a vampire by the name of Edward Cullen – to tell his father once and for all that the two were in love. (His family and he were responsible for her survival during a nasty run in with three rogue vampires who had taken a liking to her) He was apprehensive, but for her birthday, he obliged. That was a huge mistake. Not only did Carlisle disapprove, but he moved the entire Cullen clan out of Forks overnight, without even telling Bella where they were going. She was depressed for a little while, but her best friend, a wolf shifter named Jacob Black, helped her to forget and keep living. The both of them already had plans to head up to Seattle, where a photography summer camp had been set up. It presented her with a decent distraction – until the building that they were staying in caught on fire and the camp was canceled.

Neither of them wanting to return home five weeks or so in, they decided to bunk with a gang of werewolves they had bumped into previously. After befriending them, however, Bella soon learned of the people who hunted them. Simply known as "hunters." When things became too dangerous, they retreated to Jacob's reservation in La Push, where they were supposed to remain safe. Along the way, Edward had seemed to escape his father and returned to her, only to realize that she had already started to move on. Particularly with Jacob. She had put off dealing with the complicated tryst in order to focus on trying to help the wolves avoid capture. Unfortunately, not only did she get captured herself, but the relentless hunters managed to kill off the pack's leader, Mac.

Bella's chest clenched. She could still remember that day clearly. She could still hear the howls of mourning by the wolves. Nickey's love lorn cry was worse then the others'. That night replayed in her mind so many times... almost to the point of making her sick. In fact, Bella even threw up a few times because of the memory. No doubt, witnessing Mac's death was the cause of these nightmares. Not to mention the fact that the theories of her own demise haunted her now more then ever.

When she first became interested in Edward – it seemed like ages ago – she had been warned by one of his sisters, Alice, that contact with him would lead to a terrible end. Months later, again on her birthday, the exact same prophecy came from another source; this time, an old gypsy woman whom Bella still didn't know the name of. She was too terrified to return and find out. Who knew what awaited her?

But she supposed she had nothing to worry about now. She wasn't dating Edward _or_ Jacob any longer (though she could hardly count one kiss as "dating"). Things were far too complicated for love. And now... only a week remained before school started up again. When was the last time she saw her friends? Her _normal_ friends? Mike or Eric... Angela or Tyler... Hell, she wouldn't even mind Jessica's ramblings of gossip and rumors.

Jessica... Oh, lest she forget yet_another_ complication...

One of the reasons she drew away from Edward to begin with (other then the fact that she thought he was never coming back) was the fact that there was a very distinct possibility that she could have been nothing more then a substitute for Edward's first love, who killed herself after a decade or so of being a vampire. Before the New Year, Bella discovered that Jessica was actually the descendant of that same girl, Annabell Susan McCleary.

Fun.

Bella let out a bitter laugh, recalling her torment no more then a year ago. That was when her first real boyfriend, Chris, told her that he had cheated on her with her former best friend in Phoenix – her home before moving to Forks. She could remember feeling so angry and dejected... she would give anything to have that naiveté again. Oh how simple things had been... She recalled him stopping by one rainy day in the spring to try and start anew. Then with Edward, she gently turned him away. How different would her life be had she accepted his offer?

Her legs became stiff as she realized that she had been standing in the same place for forty five minutes. No longer tired, she shuffled into her room and threw on her bathrobe. The house creaked as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, her fuzzy slippers making faint shushing sounds beneath her. When she appeared in the kitchen, she got herself a glass of milk and heated it in the microwave. It was still very dark outside, and the kitchen was cool. She flipped on the light, seating herself at the table. Her head throbbed as she rested it in her hand, which was propped up on her elbow against the table top. She listened to the hum of the microwave, hunger crawling along the lining of her stomach. Finally, it beeped, breaking her from her vegetative state. After grabbing her mug from the microwave, she set it aside and grabbed an apple from the fridge. She set it down, sipping her drink.

"Still can't sleep?"

Bella turned to see Charlie Swan, her father, make his way into the kitchen. He smiled kindly, his eyes sympathetic. As far as he knew, her friend had died in a motorcycle accident. The man sat beside his daughter, patting her shoulder. "Have a nightmare again?"

"Yeah..." She ran her finger along the rim of her mug before taking a sip. Her eyes went to the red apple beside it and she sighed, picking at the sticker.

Charlie was silent for a moment. "I know what it's like, you know." She turned her eyes up to her father. "When I was a little older then you, a friend of mine died in a car crash. Drunk driver blind sighted him."

Bella nodded, unable to feel any sympathy. Whether it was because she was suffering from emotional overload or because she hadn't slept in a month and a half, one couldn't be sure. She took another drink of her milk as Charlie patted her shoulder again. "You know," he continued. "You went through something really traumatic... And with the pressure of school and all..." He took a breath before continuing. "I think we should get you some counseling."

Her eyes snapped up, their gaze accusing. "Are you saying I'm nuts?"

"No," said Charlie carefully. "I'm just saying that it might be nice if you had someone to talk to. A neutral third party. I see this all the time, Bella... It's post traumatic stress, and there are people that can help – "

"I don't need help." Bella stood and dumped the rest of her milk in the sink, agitated that her father would even think such a thing.

"Bells..."

"I said I don't!" she snapped. She might have been taking out her frustration on her innocent father, but she didn't much care. She had gone through too much to care anymore. She rounded to him, her eyes glaring. "I'm not crazy, dad."

"I never said you were." He stood, his hands raised in a non threatening gesture. "But usually, when people go through something like that, it's best to get them someone to talk to. So that these repressed emotions don't come spilling out..."

"So what, I'm just another case for you? I'm just another file for your goddamn police station?"

"Of course not. You're my daughter. I only want what's best."

"What's best? What's _best?_" She laughed coldly. "You couldn't _possibly_ know what's best for me, dad! You have _no_ idea what's been going through my head!"

"Then tell me...!" Charlie pleaded weakly. "Tell me so that I can help you..."

"I don't need help!" Bella had an urge to throw her mug across the room, but instead slammed it onto the counter top. "For the last damn time, I'm not crazy, and I _don't_ need some smart-ass doctor picking at my brain!" Fuming, Bella grabbed her apple and stormed up to her room, slamming the door loudly behind her. She locked it roughly and then fell to her bed. For a good half hour, she laid there, listening to the house breathe. She played with the apple in her hands, the moon's silver light giving it a faint halo through her window. Her fingernail trailed down the skin, and she finally peeled off the entire sticker, flicking it to the side. She felt no desire to eat it. So, after staring at it a bit longer, she walked to her window, yanked it open, and threw the fruit as hard as she could. It sored into the night and vanished into the shadows, making a faint "thump" off in the distance.

Once it hit the ground, Bella felt a wave of sadness overcome her. She gently shut the window and made her way back to bed. She felt awful for barking at Charlie like that. But she couldn't help herself. The fact of the matter was he _didn't_ know what was best for her because he simply _didn't_ know the truth. If he did... he'd want to get her more then a therapist. He'd want her in the loony bin. After analyzing her behavior that night, she couldn't say that she blamed him. Bella buried herself into her sheets, pressing the side of her face to her pillow. It was still a bit damp from her nightmare sweat.

She laid awake until sleep once more came to her the minute the sun rose.

_READ THE REST AT "ECLIPSING ECLIPSE", NOW POSTED ON MY PROFILE._


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